President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday assured that the chamber would be resolute in providing necessary legislation for the development of the country’s education sector.
Saraki gave the assurance at a public hearing on “Innovative Education Technology: E-Learning and Blended Learning in the Education Sector’’ in Abuja.
The session was organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), Tertiary Institution and TETFUND and Communications.
Represented by the Senate Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, Saraki expressed concern over ailing standard of education in the country.
According to him, the Senate remains resolute in ensuring that every effort is deployed to facilitate the provision of necessary infrastructure and legislation for the development of our nation’s education sector.
He, however, said that the adoption of technology-mediated learning was a viable option towards reviving the country’s educational system.
“The ailing standard of education in Nigeria has been a major concern to all stakeholders for many years now.
“However, one viable option proffered by experts and education stakeholders as a means of reviving and transforming our ailing educational system is the adoption of technology-mediated learning.
“Many argue that this method of learning encompasses different teaching and learning approaches and is supported by the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
“One example of technology-mediated learning is blended learning, which is defined as a teaching and learning approach that combines online learning and face-to-face instruction in the most effective way for optimal learning outcome.
“Through this innovation, it is expected that our educational sector would reap many benefits such as reduced cost on expansion and maintenance of infrastructure and improved safety of lives and property in schools,’’ Saraki said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, said that there was need to propel Nigeria economically into global prominence with the power of information technology through e-learning.
He said that could be achieved by taking advantage of huge human capital and employing recent innovations in education technology of e-learning.
According to Wammako, this will massively improve the skills of Nigerian workforce, teachers, service sector workers, infrastructure, finance, information technology, private sector workers and most importantly, students.
“Education in Nigeria is bedevilled with multiple factors such as lack of access to education, infrastructure, instructional materials, unqualified teachers and dearth of teachers.
“This will provoke our thoughts in order to generate innovative, sustainable, strategic and lasting ideas that will drive and foster e-learning and technology in our education sector.
“There is no better time to capture the dividend of the world economy through technology and e-learning,’’ Wamakko said. (NAN)