…as STEAM Up Lagos Project pursue better education, life outcomes for children

By Gabriel Olawale

The Lagos State Government has commenced the distribution of one million Information, Communication Technology (ICT) devices to secondary school students in other to ease their ability to learn and become solution providers for the country particularly the state.

To also ensure that the teachers prepare pupils for the challenges that could arise in the future, the government has handed to tech-teaching devices to 15,000 teachers in public primary schools across the state.

The statistics were revealed by the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, on Thursday at the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) UP Lagos Convention organized by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Education, Adetola Salau, in Victoria Island.

The commissioner, while noting that at least 33,000 of the devices have been distributed, stated that the distribution of the devices considered as mobile library was being done in phases to ensure efficiency across the state.

On the 15,000 devices handed over to the teachers, Egube noted that the device was already configured to assist the government monitor teachers efficiency especially their resumption and teaching activities at school.

To further aid the usage of the devices, the commissioner explained that in the 2021 Budget, N161 billion was set aside for human capital development including trainings and other activities that will ensure efficiency in service delivery.

Corroborating his views, Chairman Lagos State House Committee on Education, Okanlawon Sanni added that the aim behind the move was to take learning and teaching beyond the previous physical mode and embrace technology to solve issues and aid teachers as well as students to teach and learn with ease across Lagos public schools.

On her part, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Education, Adetola Salau noted that to sustain constant human capital development, there is need for partnership with the private sector, saying, development in the education sector require partnership with corporate individuals and organisations in the state.

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“This is why todays event has been convened to bring together prospective partners and private sector operators, to speed on the successes attained so far on the STEAM Up Lagos Project, as well as showcase the roadmap of future engagements and how you come in to ensure better education and life outcomes for our children and future populations of Lagos State, Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

She explained that STEAM UP LAGOS Project was hinged on four themes, curriculum design and integration, teacher engagement/training in modern STEAM Pedagogy, Set up of STEAM Laboratories/ Cafes and Engaging students in learning boosting extracurricular STEAM activities.

“By moving learning from rote memorization to practical, hands-on engagement for students and equipping young Lagosians between secondary and tertiary education with skills for immediate personal and financial productivity, we will achieve Mr. Governors 10-year technology innovation plan for a future generation of Lagosians who are techpreneurs and Makers.”