UNICEF urges Bauchi govt to adopt digital learning platforms

The United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged Bauchi state government to adopt digital education platforms, to enhance access to free quality education.

Mr. Abdulrahman Ado, UNICEF Education Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, said this at a one-day media dialogue, on Friday in Toro, headquarters of Toro Local Government Area of the state.

He said the agency distributed 22 tablets each to the 55 selected schools, to enable them to utilise the Nigeria Learning Passport (NPL) platform.

The gesture, he said, would improve the learning outcomes and address manpower deficit schools.

“NLP is a digital platform that contains foundation literacy and numeracy of what learners are taught in school, transferable life skills and job specific skills among others.

“Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey ( MICS) reveals that three out of four children in Nigeria cannot read with meaning or solve simple mathematics problem.

“UNICEF principles for digital learning should not only be in schools, not only online, not too high technology and not only digital literacy but to include skills for adolescents,” he said.

Ado urged the state government to strengthen ICT infrastructure, security and power supply in schools, as well as train teachers in Education Management Information System (EMIS).

Mrs Aisha Amin, the Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Bauchi State Ministry of Education, reiterated government commitment to teacher capacity and development programmes.

“No doubt the tools would support the ministry to monitor and ensure quality learning process in schools.

“Already we have conducted training of the trainers, and we will begin the stepdown training to local government on EMIS and TMIS for better planning and monitoring. It will support recruitment and posting exercise,“She added.

Also, Mr Yakubu Gayawa, Principal, Junior Secondary School Magama-Gumau said that the NLP was integrated into school learning scheduled.

He said that it provided ample time for learners to be acquainted with the use of the digital platform across all the classes.