Mallam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, says the qualitative education in the modern world was intrinsically tied to the development and deployment of ICT in education.
The Minister who was represented by the Director, ICT, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ifegwu Orji during the inauguration of the Unites Cisco Internet of Things (IoT) Innovation Centre at Queens College in Yaba said: ”ICT as an enhancer of education has transformed education delivery from being the transmission of information by the teacher as the custodian of knowledge to the learner as the receiver of the knowledge transmitted and the school, from being a teacher-centered agency.”
He said: “Today, teachers are seen as facilitators or coaches of learning or in some cases, as change agents or activators and the students as active partners in learning.
”The school also had become an open space for learners who initiate and acquire their own learning and expand their knowledge through interaction among themselves and with the teachers.
“This kind of interaction is only made easier by the Internet of Things as it connects people, processes devices and data.
According to him, with the Internet of Thing (IoT), more engaging and measurable method of education that can provide knowledge to a greater number of students in a manner that fits their learning styles and needs are enhanced. He explained that The Internet of Thing (IoT), refers to the ever-growing network of physical objects with IP address for internet connectivity and communication that occurs between them and other internet-enabled devices.
His word: “It also enhances the volume and values of information that can be collected, thus, allowing educators and administrators to turn data into actionable insight like never before envisaged.
“In order to demonstrate our commitment towards the delivery of qualitative education with the resultant production of the requisite manpower, that can survive in the modern society, contributions to sustainable national development and compete globally, we have approved the establishment of the Cisco Unites IoT Innovation Centres in six Federal Unity Colleges in the six geo-political zones for the 2017/2018 academic session for which we are here today.
“Some of the Unity colleges that have benefitted from this project are Federal Science and Technical College Yaba as pilot, Federal Government Girls College Buari in Abuja, Federal Government College Kano and Queens College Lagos, as well as Federal Government College Enugu among others.
“They will all serve as a hub for open innovation to showcase what is with digital transformation and Internet if Things in education.
“We have also approved the establishment of the Cisco network academy in all the unity colleges under Cisco’s corporate social responsibility (CRS) in the education sector and other Cisco long term CRS programnes.
“It is our hopes that these programmes will fast track the achievement of ICT-enhanced education and would empower our students and teachers to adapt to the rapidly changing knowledge requirements and skills.
The Minister maintained that the goal of the Federal Government is to see the education sector as a whole, embrace the use of new technologies to meet the human resources requirements of nation-building for the attainment of sustainable soci-economic development.
He posited that government was optimistic of enhancing the sector for global competitiveness as well as the individual’s ability to survive in the contemporary society.
While lauding the partnership and contribution of Cisco Unites Academy for their support and donation of the IoT centres to the colleges, he added that the gesture would further boost students learning.
Meanwhile, the Director, of the Unites Networking Academy, Mr Toyin Olatayo, on his part said that the inauguration of the IoT project in Queens college was the third in the series.
According to him, efforts were underway to replicate same in all the 104 unity colleges across the country in two years. Olatayo noted that rapid changes in technology trends are forcing humans to keep up in order to stand the chance of surviving in a competitive world.
He maintained that technology has, and would continue to transform every aspect of human lives, be it education, governance, business and even personal relationships.
“There is digital transformation across countries and companies. Digital transformation driving opportunities. We want to bridge opportunities between students and the digital economy,” Olatayo said.
He added that the objectives of the Unites Cisco IoT Innovation Centre were to create technology solutions to unlock opportunities at a speed of rapid prototyping.