UBEC: African Education Conference Set To Brianstorm On Emerging Challenges Hindering Sector
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The 6th edition of the African Education Conference (Edutech) is set to begin in Abuja, where stakeholders cutting across the sector will brainstorm to proffer solutions on some of the emerging challenges militating against the sector.
The conference will be jointly facilitated by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The Chairman, Board of Trustee, Education First Nigeria, Dr Macjohn Nwabiaola, while briefing reporters at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, noted that it will leverage on technology in upscaling educational needs of the people.
Nwabiaola, who served as a former Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, hinted that there was an urgent need to align with global trend including changing the narratives in our educational system.
According to the former Permanent Secretary, “We are in a world where things are changing and we must ensure that our children can be enabled to compete globally when it comes to education.
“Some years ago when our students sit for JAMB, it was paper and pencil examination but gradually we made it a Computer Based Test (CBT) which was criticised but here we are CBT has come to stay.
“Edutech is very critical and we need to look at our policies in education, we need to bring all stakeholders and it will be holistic as children with special needs will be involved.”
He emphasised that the education system was frost with lots of challenges that must be addressed through collaborative efforts.
Founder, Education First Nigeria, Moses Imayi, said the organisation and Skool Media had supported over 110 educational institutions through setting up of digital their centres.
Imayi said the goal was to put technology at the heart of learning in schools across the country, noting that this centres had helped to bridge digital gaps.
He said: “The conference is an opportunity to mobilise stakeholders to begin to look at the importance of education because if you invest in education, you are investing in the country’s socio-economic development.
“The conference will serve as a platform to mobilise every stakeholders to begin to popularise the importance of education.”
The Coordinator, UBEC Digital Resource Centre, Prof. Bashir Galandaci, disclosed that the commission underscored the importance of technology in learning which crystallised the basis for hosting the conference.
Galandaci said UBEC had introduced several digital programmes with the aim of radically transforming basic education in the country.
The African Edu-Tech Conference is an annual event dedicated to exploring the relationship between education and technology in Africa.
It provides an essential platform for experts, policymakers, educators, and innovators to collaborate and drive positive change in the educational landscape.
The goal is to facilitate discussions on leveraging collaboration and partnerships to build sustainable growth in educational technology on the African continent.
