Connect with us

Education

CATCHING THEM YOUNG’ THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TO STAY AHEAD OF COVID-19

Published

on

By KEHINDE TAIWO

The coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected many countries in various ways; from the loss of lives to the congestion and exhaustion of health facilities, then the global economy which is not left out of the damage, dwindling various business and economic activities.

Many organisations have since resorted to alternative means of doing business, exploring remote working opportunities for staff including; virtual meetings, webinars and a host of other ways to ensure their adherence to the lockdown enforcement, thus limiting the physical interaction of people – one of the ways to control the spread of the virus. The ‘new normal’ has remained integral to ensuring the economy is not at a standstill, whilst the battle against the invincible enemy persists, a war that no one knows its end.

The educational sector has not been left out of the fight against the coronavirus, with schools advised to remain closed until further notice due to the dangers it poses to a community spread at very high levels. According to the World Economic Forum, “there are currently more than 1.2 billion children in 186 countries affected by school closures due to the pandemic. In Denmark, children up to the age of 11 are returning to nurseries and schools after initially closing on 12 March, but in South Korea students are responding to roll calls from their teachers online.”

Nigeria is not left out of these numbers, as an estimated 46 million schoolchildren have been affected by the closure of schools on Monday 23 March 2020.

However, whilst a handful of schools – private – have the required infrastructure to ensure its academic activities and school calendar is not adversely affected, the majority are deficient of the needed facilities, restricted to remaining hopeful on when they would be directed to resume.

Understanding the impact of education towards national development and the growth of any given economy, one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, announced its support of the Lagos State government and Roducate e-learning initiative. The initiative was noted to include the government accredited curriculum for primary, secondary and tertiary schools designed to ensure children are adequately guided and engaged through their learning experience. 
This partnership is among the various ingredients by the Bank to help ensure the educational sector is not malnourished but reinforced to stay healthy for the school children, Another notable partnership in the bank’s resolve to move one million children to e-learning includes that with IBM, which is providing opportunities for the acquisition of digital skills including Coding, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science & Analytics which would promote opportunities to learn skills of the future. These measures are taken in identifying with the roles of children at securing the future of any country.
Reflecting on the words of Benjamin Franklin, thus ‘an investment in knowledge pays the best interest’ Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, FirstBank said “in keeping with who we are at FirstBank, our commitment to self-development and continuous improvement is never far from our thinking. As such we are encouraging all to consider and register for any of the excellent programmes being offered free by Ivy League schools and we are curating a list of them covering topics such as management, personal development, and entrepreneurship that would be provided in due course.

Another institution impacting education is Jos-based uLesson founded by Sim Shagaya. In an interview with techcabal, Shagaya noted that “when we launched, to solve the problem of data, we bundled our content into an SD card and dongle and shipped to the user,” Vice President, Marketing and Analytics, Al-Hassan Yusuf Junior said. “But because of COVID-19, we had to create a stream-only service for our customers.”

uLesson’s content database comprises over 3,000 richly animated, curriculum-based, personalized video learning modules, quizzes and tests in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology tailored to help students excel in continental examinations like the West African School Certificate Exams (WAEC), GCSE, SAT and more. 

Without these and other laudable support on the horizon, the problems posed by the lockdown are a threat to the educational sector in particular. Without the functioning of schools, the economy would be handicapped to explore imminent developmental opportunities. And in the current global age, infusing technology to the development of the child cannot be overemphasized and a compulsion to any meaningful government that takes the business of securing the future of its country.
This concern is in tandem with the phrase “catch them young”, a phrase I opine speaks to the curiosity of the essence of life and living by adolescents – school children – as they develop into adulthood. The teenage cycle of one is largely the defining moment in one’s behavioural pattern and attraction to ways of living which subconsciously become a lifestyle, as the child – notably teenager – is most vulnerable at this point and if not well guided is at risk of attitudinal dysfunction.

Times of India defines ‘catch them young’ as that phrase which expresses the desire of the adolescents as far as their demand for information, education and preventive programmes for enhancing positive sexual health and responsible behaviour is concerned”.

From these, I opine that the demand for information is central to the mould of a child’s behavioural pattern on all fronts as regards his or her development and with the internet being the primary source of information in the current age, children are indeed at risk of being misguided, losing focus, thus diminishing the essence of moral value.

The learning in one’s teenage years are most times manifested at adulthood, a scenario I would best illustrate with the popular computer terminology, GIGO; entailing the ‘Garbage In’ occurring at the adolescent phase and ‘Garbage Out’ at the adult phase.

At this point, the million-dollar questions to us are; as a parent, what is your child – especially the teenagers – exposed to and as an adolescent – be you a teenager or young adult – what are you exposed to?… Information indeed remains key to one’s growth and development until one’s final breath.

The internet means many things to different people, with each individual actively or transiently participating in various activities considered fun to him or her. Fun no doubt is relative!

But with today’s world being a global village, without the internet, one would be lost and subconsciously taken back to the stone-age.

What then is the Internet? According to the oxford learners dictionary, the internet is “an international computer network connecting other networks and computers from companies, universities, etc.”

The internet as a whole has indeed made the world less difficult, more fun, travelling one through the world with a press of the cell-phone screen. From the comfort of one’s bedroom, the internet could create a feeling of touring the world.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
The advantages of being on the internet are unprecedented, with diverse benefits essential for ease of acclimatisation to all spheres of global activities; economically, sports, fashion and entertainment, business and of course, education.  Regardless of where one is, one has the world at one’s fingertips.

The internet has been instrumental to promoting the development of children and this period of the coronavirus, when schools are not in operation has created that opportunity for kids to develop themselves and learn various skills, thereby exploring various avenues for their continued growth.

In general, the internet and technology is a coin with two sides. Its advantages, amongst which are; it serves as a connecting point for trade – regardless of business size, it bridges the gap between people, whilst being a place where information and knowledge are easily accessed amongst others– irrespective of country, culture, age or distance.

On the other hand, its disadvantages are central to one’s distraction when abused, especially without close monitoring by parents and guardians. The negatives are indeed troubling and could change the course of a child’s life forever which is why it is very pivotal for parental guidance to be closely implemented by parents through this period. 

How well do you interact with your child, how often do you interact with your kids on opportunities on the internet for their continued growth, how often do you subtly check through your kids’ activities on the internet. These are just a tip of the iceberg in having children better shaped for the future.
As children spend more time, learning and exploring amazing ways of developing themselves, by activating parental guidance and control on mobile phones and computer devices, parents play the biggest role at ensuring the internet use is optimally maximised.

Without these, the child would be exposed to lots of misfits that could hinder his or her moral and educational development.

Education

GIRAU INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL JOINS GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS FOR CHILDREN’S

Published

on

GIRAU INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL JOINS GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS FOR CHILDREN’S

 

Girau International School (GIS) has announced its participation in the worldwide celebration of Children’s Day, reaffirming its commitment to fostering and nurturing young learners.

The school emphasized that GIS is dedicated to creating a learning atmosphere that is not only educational but also filled with fun and adventure. “At Girau International School, we believe that learning should be an enjoyable experience,” the statement read. “We are committed to developing early readers and focusing on comprehensive educational development through our innovative curriculum, which is a blend of the Nigerian and British educational systems.”

As part of its dedication to academic excellence, GIS allocates specific reading times during which students engage in phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and key reading strategies to enhance their comprehension skills. This structured approach ensures that children not only learn to read but also develop a lifelong love for reading.

Additionally, GIS offers top-notch sporting and extracurricular facilities, providing students with opportunities to explore their interests beyond the classroom. “Our motto, ‘Learn, Live, and Achieve,’ encapsulates our holistic approach to education,” the management stated.

As Girau International School joins the global community in celebrating Children’s Day, it remains steadfast in its mission to empower young learners, preparing them for a bright future filled with possibilities. The school remain committed in reinforcing the importance of nurturing and supporting the next generation.

GIRAU INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL JOINS GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS FOR CHILDREN’S

Continue Reading

Education

Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) Proposes Partnership with Beart & Gibson Group

Published

on

*Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) Proposes Partnership with Beart & Gibson Group to Empower Youth and Drive Industrial Development in Northeast Nigeria*

The Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) has announced a bold and strategic proposal to partner with Beart & Gibson Group, a globally recognized leader in manufacturing and engineering, to launch a large-scale empowerment and industrial development initiative targeting Nigeria’s Northeast region.
This groundbreaking collaboration was the focal point of a high-level meeting between the NAUB management and a delegation from Beart & Gibson Group, led by Dr. Shelly U. Amos, Regional Director for West Africa, and Esv. Ashem Musa Jacob, Nominee for Beart & Gibson Group.

The proposed partnership is designed to provide practical, skill-based training in several key areas crucial to modern industrial and technological development.
These include:
1. Engineering and manufacturing (including assembly and production of devices and appliances).
2. IT and digital skills Software development and cybersecurity
3. Digital marketing
4. Entrepreneurship and business planning
5. Financial literacy and startup development
6. Modern agricultural practices and agribusiness management.

Speaking on the importance of the initiative, NAUB Vice Chancellor, Professor Lawan Buratai, emphasized that the partnership represents more than just a skills program. “This partnership presents our commitment to providing students with real-world skills that align with national priorities.

It is a vital step towards the industrial realization of the Northeast,” Prof. Buratai said.

According to the proposal, the collaboration aims to enrich NAUB’s academic curriculum with industry-relevant content, enhance graduate employability, and foster sustainable economic growth across the region. The long-term vision is to transform the Northeast into a hub for industrial innovation, youth empowerment, and entrepreneurship.

If approved and implemented, the NAUB-Beart & Gibson partnership could become a model for strategic academia-industry collaboration in Nigeria, serving as a catalyst for regional development and national progress.

Continue Reading

Education

Server Glitch Shatters UTME Dreams: JAMB Admits Error, 380,000 Candidates to Resit Exams 

Published

on

Server Glitch Shatters UTME Dreams: JAMB Admits Error, 380,000 Candidates to Resit Exams 

Server Glitch Shatters UTME Dreams: JAMB Admits Error, 380,000 Candidates to Resit Exams 

A devastating technical oversight and human error have forced Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to invalidate the 2025 UTME results of 379,997 candidates across Lagos and the South-East, sparking public outrage, calls for resignation, and growing demand for accountability.

At an emergency technical review on Wednesday at JAMB’s Abuja headquarters, Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede broke down in tears as he addressed the fallout from the mishap, admitting that the problem stemmed from the incomplete deployment of a critical server update—a mistake that severely distorted results for nearly 400,000 candidates in 157 exam centres.

“This incident was neither a system failure nor administrative manipulation, but an outright human error,” the board declared.

According to the report presented, JAMB’s server patch—which supported new innovations in the 2025 exam—was correctly implemented in the Kaduna (KAD) server cluster but not deployed to the Lagos (LAG) cluster, which services Lagos and the entire South-East. The result: a massive answer validation mismatch that rendered scores invalid.

A collaborative review with Educare Technical Team, JAMB’s independent IT partner, revealed that over 14,000 logs from affected centres displayed severe inconsistencies, with audit trails confirming systemic malfunction—not student failure.

The fallout is massive:

  • 65 centres (206,610 candidates) affected in Lagos

  • 92 centres (173,387 candidates) affected in the South-East

  • 379,997 total candidates to resit the UTME, starting Friday, May 16

The registrar stated affected students will receive SMS notifications to their registered numbers. He took full responsibility, stating:

“Please. Thank you. I am sorry. These are not just words—I accept full responsibility.”

Public Reactions: Resignation Calls Mount

Despite Oloyede’s emotional apology, pressure is building. On social media, Nigerians are calling for his resignation:

  • @jacobsule: “Oloyede should step aside immediately for an independent investigation.”

  • @MrGatsby: “Oloyede should please resign. This is disgraceful.”

  • @abolajijnr: “Someone has died over this. He should be in jail already.”

Parents Demand Clarity on Withheld Results

The scandal deepened as parents of under-16 candidates decried JAMB’s refusal to release their children’s results.

“Why traumatize these children? They wrote the exams, let them see their scores!” cried Mrs. Abiodun Ashimolowo.

The Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (PTA) praised JAMB’s transparency but demanded a full list of affected candidates and more clarity on the exact technical failures.

“Were these computer bugs or personnel errors? We want full transparency,” said PTA President Danjuma Haruka.

As nearly 400,000 students prepare to retake one of Nigeria’s most critical exams, the credibility of JAMB hangs in the balance. While Oloyede’s emotional apology has earned some praise for transparency, others insist only full accountability and reform will restore trust in the system.

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending