Technology can address challenges in education sector, say professionals

Professionals in the education sector have agreed on the need to deploy technology to address the myriads of challenges crippling educational development in the country.

Speaking at the July edition of EdTech Monday, an initiative of Mastercard Foundation in partnership with CcHub Limited, aimed at facilitating critical conversations on the use of technology for teaching and learning, the panelists, including Professor of Science Education, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Uchenna Udeani, public school teacher, Soji Megbowon and practice lead, Education, CcHub Limited, Nissi Madu, said technology has become invaluable in tracking the learning process and has helped enrich teaching and learning experience.

Speaking at the virtual event, titled “Top education challenges technology can address,” Prof Udeani said technology aids teaching and opens door to a plethora of information, while combining digital savvy and internet connectivity.

Udeani further stated that the advent of technology would contribute to addressing the challenges associated with infrastructural gap in schools.

Using UNILAG as a case study, she said with technology, the issue around impersonation during examinations has been drastically reduced.

Megbowon noted that technology plays a vital role in addressing the menace of examination malpractice, which has become rampant in secondary and tertiary institutions.

He stated that the transition from paper-based tests to computer-based tests by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has helped reduce cases of examination malpractice and its negative influence in the education sector.

He stressed that technology has become crucial for teachers, particularly those in rural communities, given the number of training opportunities that abound in the digital space.

Megbowon cited examples of Lagos State government’s teacher training programme in partnership with Microsoft during COVID-19 lockdown.

Madu affirmed that technology remains a great enabler that helps facilitate continuous professional development for teachers, adding that with digital tools, teachers in rural communities can have access to the skills they need to grow and learn.

She revealed that 1,000 teachers were trained on WhatsApp during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, pointing out that technology has helped teachers connect and collaborate to share their peculiar challenges and solutions.

“I think one key thing technology can provide us with is analytics and insights into how well students are learning and the areas they are struggling with, this will enable teachers to know where to target interventions. That way, it is a lot easier creating personalised learning for students and tracking their journey and their growth,” she said.