Senate to address funding of computer education
By Tunde Opalana, Abuja
Concerned by the sorry state of computer education in primary and secondary schools in the country, the Senate on Tuesday resolved to address its funding so to improve computer education among teachers and pupils in Nigerian schools.
It urged the federal government through the ministry of education and its relevant educational agencies to provide computer training for teachers in public schools and basic computer facilities for proper training of pupils and students in computer knowledge.
The Senate also charged the federal government to formulate for the building and equipping of computer laboratories in public schools.
These resolutions were consequent upon a motion sponsored by Senator Akon Etim Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom South).
She argued that the formulation of a national policy on the importance of ICT by providing for the training of teachers and provision of basic facilities for teaching computer in primary and secondary schools and regretted that most public schools in Nigeria lack competent teachers with computer knowledge and basic facilities to properly teach pupils and students
In his contribution, Senator Godiya Akwasiki representing Nasarawa North Senatorial District reminded Senate that Section 21(b) of the constitution states that government should provide science and technology education.
He said further: “Even in Rwanda, the government has initiated one laptop computer per child and if the principle of this current government is to move the nation to the next level, then, science and technology education is key.”
Senator Albert Akpan noted that pupils of private schools were better off in computer education, saying that private schools pay attention to computer education than public schools.
“In private primary schools for instance, pupils already know how to operate computers, but not public schools and now that we are in a global world, computer education is important in our public schools,” he added.
Senator Aishatu Dahiru representing Adamawa Central Senatorial District explained that challenges of the lack of power supply as the bane of computer education.
She said there was no steady power supply in Nigeria that supports ICT, adding that government must address power supply before addressing ICT.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan in his contribution said that the National Council on Education must see to the implementation of a computer education policy and indicated that the Senate would address funding of computer education in Nigeria.
