UNESCO petitions Osun to adopt e-learning device

THE Osun State government Wednesday said that the United‎ Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) had approached it asking for permission to adopt the tablet of knowledge, popularly called  ‘’Opon Imo’’. The e-learning device was introduced by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration to boost teaching and learning in public schools.

UNESCO, in a letter dated 15th November, 2014 to the Osun Commissioner for Education and signed by Prof. Hassana Alidou, Director and Representative of UNESCO’s Regional Office in Abuja, said the organisation was impressed and attracted by the components of the Osun’s e-learning project.

In a statement issued Wednesday in Osogbo by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy , Office of the Governor, UNESCO also requested to reproduce and adopt the educational learning resource material and content of Opon-imo to promote its educational programmes in Nigeria.

‎The organisation was said to have been fascinated by the three major content categories of the e-library, the integrated test zone, the virtual class room containing 63 books covering civic education, Ifa on ethics and morals among others in Opon-Imo.

  UNESCO further held that the concept and educational contents of Opon-Imo were in line with UNESCO’s objective to promote open access to quality education in the country.

The letter read in part, “as you may be aware, UNESCO is a specialised agency of the United Nations with a broad mandate in promoting education, science, culture, communication and information.

“The concept and education content of Opon-Imo is in line with UNESCO objective to promote open access to scientific information, open educational resources and open training platform as well as open distance learning.

“We acknowledge that the Opon-Imo was designed to enhance students’ access to knowledge, sexuality education and entrepreneurship, all of which are within the scope of UNESCO’s educational programme activities in Nigeria”.