*The National Information Technology Development Agency expresses its readiness to collaborate with the Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Educational Board (FCT-UBEB), to revolutionise the way young Nigerians engage with technology and equip them with necessary skills to thrive in an increasingly digital world

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Educational Board (FCT-UBEB), to revolutionise the way young Nigerians engage with technology and equip them with necessary skills to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

绿帽献妻 reports the Information Technology sector regulatory agency Friday, June 21, 2024, said significant development in Nigeria鈥檚 educational sector was aimed at boosting digital literacy among school children.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, disclosed this when he hosted a delegation from the Head-to-Head Debate Committee of FCT-UBEB.

NITDA noted Dr. Alhassan Sule, Acting Executive Chairman, led the delegation to the Agency鈥檚 corporate headquarters in Abuja, to discuss possible areas of collaboration.

Inuwa, represented by Mr. Oladejo Olawumi, Director of Information Technology Infrastructure Solutions (ITIS) Department at NITDA, stated that the collaboration aligns with a pillar of the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) 2024-2027, which is to Foster Digital Literacy and Cultivate Talents.

Stating that the pillar is key to the proposed educational board鈥檚 debate competition, the NITDA Chief emphasised the importance of integrating technology into education is to capture the interest and potential of young people.

He said: “Children today, often referred to as digital natives, intuitively use technology and unlike us, who are digital migrants, these children seamlessly adapt to new gadgets and platforms.

“Therefore, it is essential to embed digital knowledge in their learning environment.”

NITDA has been providing infrastructure and resources to facilitate educational transformation as well as digital learning centres across all states of the country, stated Inuwa.

The Director-General further explained the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) programme is a national initiative of the agency, which is designed to extend digital education resources to all corners of the country.

Inuwa, therefore, urged the visitors to key into the programme, asserting it would be instrumental in enhancing digital literacy skills among students and out-of-school children alike.

Highlighting the agency鈥檚 focus on emerging technologies, Inuwa stated that extensive research and development are being conducted in areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, which are pivotal for future skill sets.

He equally referenced a recent collaboration between the IT regulatory agency and the Abuja Enterprise Agency on a Robotics competition organised for secondary schools to spur interest in Robotics and technology among students.

Inuwa said: 鈥淚 think we can work together in this area and make sure that Robotics interest is geared up among the youth.鈥�

狈滨罢顿础鈥檚 plan to attain 70 percent digital literacy by 2027

Elaborating on the Agency鈥檚 ongoing initiatives towards achieving 70 percent digital literacy in the country by 2027, the Chief Executive of NITDA disclosed that the agency is working to integrate digital literacy into the national educational curriculum, to provide hands-on experience with technologies, such as AI and Robotics.

As regards the importance of addressing the needs of out-of-school children, Inuwa stated: 鈥淲e are developing programmes in partnership with various stakeholders to attract these children through incentives like school feeding, coupled with digital literacy and other educational training.鈥�

Inuwa noted that the multifaceted approach would ensure that children are not only fed but also equipped with essential digital skills that will pave the way for a more inclusive and technologically proficient future.

Earlier in his remarks, Dr. Sule commended NITDA for its various strategic initiatives to ensure a sustainable, digitally transformed economy in Nigeria.

Stating that the head-to-head committee is saddled with the responsibility of conducting the FCT Basic Schools debate competition, the Director-General of NITDA stressed 900 students in the FCT would contest in a debate.

Inuwa disclosed the finalists from the competition would be moved to a reality house, which would be aired live on different media platforms, where they would be trained on AI and Robotics.

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