- By Divine Joseph, Beulah Ebitanmi and Joy Anyanwu
The Lagos State government has initiated plans to partner with two private firms, Kelv Consult and Classbox Educational Hub Limited to boost the use of digital devices and tools for teaching and learning in the state-owned schools.
By the partnership, Kelv Consult will equip the secondary school students from junior to senior class with requisite knowledge and skills in areas such as computer programming, web designing, cyber security and data analysis. Classbox will provide teachers with a customised digital device and tools, embedded with useful learning materials.
Speaking at the pilot phase of the partnership recently, the state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, stressed the importance of the digital classrooms and learning materials in both the urban and underserved communities.
According to him, digital learning is not just about providing technology, but about fostering an educational ecosystem that supports teachers and students with digital devices, tools and rich contents that will enhance learning outcomes.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Director, ICT, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs. Grace Akinfoyewa, expressed delight that the state government has intensified efforts in its drive to providing quality education for all students, regardless of their locations and socio-economic status
Alli- Balogun observed that the soft skills training impacted on students by Kelvin Consult as well as the digital device and resources provided by the Classbox for their teachers, would help in enhancing their learning and teaching as applicable and also rub off on the educational sector of the state.
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He urged both the teachers and pupils to make a good use of the new experience as they go back to classrooms, promising that the state government would not relent in providing necessary support for teachers and students to enable them to thrive in their respective callings.
He noted that the projects presentations by various schools on digital learning at the event were testaments that the students are gifted, innovators and great thinkers, expressing optimism for their bright future.
“That is why we believe that the training they have undergone through the partnership worth cascaded to other students in the state in order to achieve our collective vision for high quality education that will make our students future ready,” he added.
Additionally, Alli-Balogun highlighted significance of partnering Classbox Educational Hub, maintaining that the digital device known as “Classroom without border” is a way to go for any school in the 21st century economy.
According to him, the device does not only have multiple features that include mini-projector, whiteboard, tablet, kiosk, visualiser, speaker, and battery, but also contain rich contents produced based on the curriculum, which also makes teaching and learning more flexible, interactive and accessible, especially for pupils in the underserved communities.
“Teachers can also record classroom activities, capture student work and document key learning moments for future review,” he added.
He thanked Classbox for giving the device free of charge to three schools, namely : Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Agege; Ojota Senior High School and Agidingbi Senior Grammar School, Ikeja, promising they will be used for intended purpose.
In his remarks at the event, Mr. Durojaye Banji, Chief Operating Officer/ Co-founder of Classbox Hub, re-echoed the significant milestone embedded in the collaboration, especially for the students and their teachers and the education sector generally.
He noted that digital skills and applications are in-thing to make any professional relevant in the world of work now and in the future, commending the Lagos State government for always taking the lead in aspiring for greater heights among other states.
The highpoint of the flag-off of the partnership was the presentation of prizes to three schools with best digital projects by the CEO of Kelv Consult, Mrs. Adekemi Sogunro.
The schools are Government Senior College, Agege, which emerged the best and followed by Gbaja Boys’ Senior High School, Surulere and Kuramo Senior College, Victoria Island, which took second and third positions.
While the first position went home with a computer printer and N150,000 cash, the second and third were given a printer and N100,000 cash as well as N100,000 cash respectively.
According to Mrs. Sogunro, all the 12 participating students from across the six educational districts of the state were also given gifts for their participation.