Fashola’s wife calls for e-learning in schools

                                                     Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola

Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, has called on primary schools in the state to introduce e-learning for their pupils.

Fashola said that the primary school had become the best place to impact children with e-learning skills considering how fast the world was moving in Information and Communication Technology.

She said that the state government had always been supportive of educational enhancement through technology.

Fashola spoke during the official deployment of an e-learning technology device at Saint Saviour’s School, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

The device, christened ‘LearnPad’, is an exciting tablet computer built and designed by Avantis, specifically for use in schools and the classroom.

The device is a touch-sensitive tablet computer that provides a safe and simple way to access a vast range of e-learning content, including applications, websites and flash-based activities, as well as videos, music, e-books, documents and other digital curriculum content.

Represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, at the occasion, Mrs. Fashola said, “This is a wonderful innovation and commendable. I think it should be replicated in our schools.”

Oladunjoye said, “As time goes on, we will see how it goes. It is a thing about the budget, which we have to look into.

“We have a robust ICT plan for Lagos State, not just the schools. For instance, we have about 200 schools that are ICT-compliant and we are developing them in phases. Each term, more schools are added. It is an ongoing process and cannot be done in a day.”

She explained that the state believed that technology was already revolutionising teaching and learning and would buy into the St. Saviour’s model.

The Chairman, Board of Management of the school, Mr. Tom Ogboi, said the school had kept faith with the vision of the founding fathers by maintaining high standards for which the school is known worldwide, “even as the academic records are unbeatable.

“We are not beating our chest, but a beautiful legacy of 63 years is a great achievement. We are the first trust-not-for-profit school in Nigeria.

We led the way, shined the light for other private primary schools to follow. Today, we can look back and say without equivocation that we have made a positive impact on education in Nigeria.”

Ogboi said the school had excelled among its counterparts.

“We were the very first primary school to be Internet-compliant. We were the very first to have computer laboratory. We were the first to have a science laboratory.

“We were the very first to teach ICT as a core subject in Nigeria. We are also the first to teach moral instruction and music as core subjects. Our children sit for Trinity College London School of Music, London and they perform well.”

He added that what made the LearnPad technology different was that it was developed by educationists and teachers for the pupils.

“The experts and teachers have an understanding of the pupils and the classroom requirements and have gone ahead to develop this technology. Other systems were developed by scientists who did not have understanding of pupils and classroom environment.”

Ogboi noted that St. Saviour was the first primary school in Lagos to support public primary institutions through the donation of educational infrastructure to Lagos State schools