Nigeria can learn a Lot from Educationally and Technologically Advanced Economies

More and more number of countries has started to believe that technology is the foundation of global development plan.

Nigeria, the Sub-Saharan African nation, has realised the significance of global technology development. Of late, technology has evolved as the main driver of economic development in Nigeria, as the country has shown a fondness for technology in most of its recent policies.

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The Nigerian government released a policy statement, which aims to make Nigeria a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) friendly economy and place the country among the world’s 20 leading economies by the year 2020, through the vision 20:2020 initiative.

Though these are truly praiseworthy initiatives, but what they lack is a drive for technology and investment. Nigeria has until now failed to understand that meaningful development is not possible without investment in technology, and this is where they are getting it wrong. Unless the technology savvy youths are not encouraged to hone their technological skills, it is hard for them to become favourite destination for BPO. They need to understand that it is the technological skills driving the BPO around the world.

Nigeria should invest in technology education

In addition, Nigeria can achieve vision 20:2020 only if they make investment in technology education of the youths, who are considered as the leaders of tomorrow. In Nigeria, unemployment among youths is on the rise because of the lack of the technology and entrepreneurial skills among the university graduates. It makes their case unfit for employment in corporations.

In order to reduce the rate of youth unemployment, Nigeria should begin investing in the technology education and get marked as the technologically advanced country.

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The technology investment in the realm of youth and technology education is still at its lowest point, whereas unemployment rate among the youths is still on the rise. Mr. Leo Stan-Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Group of Technology Companies, says, "It is impossible to create enough jobs in this century without first developing multiple technology platforms that will instigate smart wealth with style, which is what the new generation of Nigerians want, just like their mates all over the world,” He adds, “Today's youth want quality technology-driven education that will offer them global opportunities to create huge wealth in no distance time with less headaches. These kids have digitally auditable brains to create wealth and style to enjoy it and therefore are impatient with any analogue system that offers nothing than huge burden with no hope for future wealth."__(Source: bit.ly/1jtHrkp)

Hughes awarded a task order to facilitate distance learning in US

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On the other hand, US General Services Administration has awarded a task order for the government education and training network (GETN) to Hughes Network Systems, LLC. It will offer commercial satellite communications solutions to facilitate the distance learning capabilities of the GETN. GETN comprises of eight federal agencies, which include US Department of Defence, executive branch agencies and federal judiciary agencies which allocate satellite technology, facilities and e learning programmes. The term of the task order is of four and one half years that also include the base and option years.

The Hughes is headquartered exterior to Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, and run sales and support offices around the world.

The lesson that Nigeria can take

Nigeria needs to look up to the education system in developed countries, which have made significant improvement in their education sector through technology investments done. If the Nigerian federal agencies learn this foremost lesson, Nigeria can achieve what it has dreamt of, in coming years.

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A Solution to Strengthen Nigeria’s Education Standards is E-Learning

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Do you think that quality education is possible only with an instructor, a classroom and a few books? What about technology and new learning tools? What about the concept of social networking? Well, the majority of academic institutions in Nigeria were deprived of all these resources that made the country go through criticisms for decades. However, the rapid developments in the telecommunication industry helped the nation regain confidence in re-educating their students, and today, Nigeria has gathered over 4 million internet users.

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E-learning – an integral part of Nigerian education

Today, electronic learning has become an integral part of the Nigerian classrooms. Using diverse tools related to electronic media in education is indeed one of the brilliant innovations that has brought Nigeria students and working professionals a new ray of hope to complete higher studies with absolute flexibility. So, e-learning has brought a lot of alternatives for numerous academic institutions in Nigeria. For instance:

• ·        Learning processes enhanced by technology
• ·        Training through computers
• ·        Web-based training programmes for employees
• ·        Social networking
• ·        Collaboration of people worldwide

Owing to the initiation of online learning, the majority of new age learners today are finding the brick and mortar classrooms no more interesting and creative. As per Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, the chairman of one of the technical sessions and former President, Association ofTelecoms Companies of Nigeria, it’s very important to have broadband internet access that would actually justify e-learning. He said it clearly that e-learning is futile without broadband access.

E-learning is an amazing innovation, agrees experts

Professor and former vice chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe said that e-learning has been such an amazing innovation that it has made the learning ambiance easier and flexible. In fact, this has been such an incredible learning mode that allows educational content to get delivered without depending on time and place.

According to another stakeholder, Mr. DayoOgunniyi, who also works as the Executive Chairman of Spectrum Books Limited, opined that e-learning has the potential to bring Nigeria out of all those issues popping out of their degraded educational system. Mr. Chris Uwaje, the President in the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, has said it correctly, “E-Learning is very important but there is no standard. There should be standards to create lessons because IT can enhance knowledge.”  

A qualified teacher is essential for e-learners

However, what’s important for easy accessibility of online learning is having an efficient instructor who would play a key role in making students understand and thereafter access their lessons with ease and enthusiasm. “There cannot be e-Learning without e-Teachers”, said Dr. Steve Nwokeocha, Director, Professional Operations, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. Unless students get a good and qualified instructor, they would never feel the urge to complete their lessons in time.

Besides, e-learning has given a lot of organisations a new and cost-effective technique to train employees. Employee training execution processes are usually expensive and this is where e-learning comes as a high scoring option for the employers. In fact, online education has experienced a boost in the last few years owing to the implementation of several e-learning tools.

A day is sure to come when e-learning would stand compulsory for not only employees in receiving quality training but the remote would find it an easier alternative to meet their career goals from any corner of the world they wish.  

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