A professor of Environmental Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, Ebenezer Yemi Ogunbadewa, has advised the adoption of geospatial technology to improve education system in the country.

Delivering the lecture, entitled: “Visualising without Barriers: The Quintessence of Geospatial Technology in Environmental Management” Ogunbadewa noted that adopting this technology in the education system will ease learning.

He urged the government to invest in universities and adopt more technology to fit into the technology age.
“Adoption of geospatial technology: online (synchronous-in real-time during the classes/asynchronous-in a relaxed schedule after the classes) and hybrid mode teaching and learning will improve our educational system and easy learning,” he said.

The Ministry of Education of the Federal Government of Somalia has announced plans to recruit an additional 3,000 teachers, building on the success of a similar drive last year.

State Minister of Education Nuura Mustaf Mukhtaar revealed the ministry's latest initiative, emphasizing that the recruitment effort will prioritize opportunities for Somali teachers in Mogadishu and other regional states.

The teacher recruitment drive will take place across Somalia, with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education overseeing the process. The latest teacher recruitment plan is part of the Somali government's broader efforts to strengthen the country's education system and provide more opportunities for Somali educators.

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, said on Thursday that Nigeria's education system has suffered the most from the mass emigration of professionals abroad. Though rarely acknowledged, no sector has lost more professionals to emigration, widely known as the 'Japa' syndrome, than the education sector, Mr Mamman, a professor, said.

The minister spoke at the National University Commission (NUC) when he inaugurated the newly appointed members of the governing council for the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. The minister said despite the brain drain in the tertiary education sector, more private institutions are springing up to compete with the existing ones for the few lecturers available.

Mr Mamman noted that it takes at least 15 years to train a professional to the doctorate level, noting that when such a person emigrates, it's a loss for the country and the system that trained them.

Ministry of education on Thursday met representatives from the newly promoted teachers where the secretary for education Professor Mangani Chilala Katundu assured them that they are destined to start getting their new salaries and allowances soon.

Mangani said the Ministry has ironed out issues which were affecting the process. He said the ministry was overwhelmed with the number of promoted teachers. Following the delay, teachers met the ministry to ask for the way forward.

On the outcome of the meeting, both Katundu and the representative of the promoted teachers , described the meeting as fruitful. Chairperson of the newly promoted secondary school teachers Diverson Chikungwa, commended the ministry for the meeting.

Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi has asked governors of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory Administration to invest more in basic education. He said the assistance offered by the Federal Government in form of matching grant, was not adequate to run basic education.

Bobboyi spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Effective Schools Programme, where he also appealed to the CSOs to support the government in delivery of Universal Basic Education (UBE), through advocacy and sensitisation of stakeholders on the need to prioritise basic education.

He urged the state governments to demonstrate commitment to improving basic education delivery by accessing their intervention fund as when due and utilise it.

The European Union (EU) has offered postgraduate scholarships to 142 young Nigerians in top European universities in the 2024-25 academic session under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+.

The awardees are among the initial batch of beneficiaries announced by the organisers of the programme in Brussels, adding that the number might likely increase. It was gathered that the programmes will run for 12-24 months, with each beneficiary studying in, at least, three different universities in as many countries within and outside the EU during the period.

At the EU-organized pre-departure orientation course in Abuja, on Thursday, the beneficiary were practically exposed to several things and conditions that would make them enjoy successful experiences in their respective institutions.

Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala now says value-based education will play a key role in solving the ethical challenges of using Artificial Intelligence in the education sector.

Speaking at Huawei’s MWC 2024 Leap Summit in Shanghai, China, Inyangala said although AI has great potential for the future of learning, there have been concerns over the integrity of the systems especially in the delivery of examinations.

“There is no doubt that AI is the future of learning because it makes learning easier and production effective. The only challenge is the social patterns formed about AI technology, but if we change the way we think, be more creative and assertive, we can collaborate to ensure that social patterns are conformed with AI,” she said.

The Executive Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, Daniel McKorley, has called on stakeholders to collaborate in retooling the educational system to create an environment for students to explore, innovate and pursue their dreams.

He said the traditional education, characterised by rigid structures and standardised tests, often stifled creativity and critical thinking. Mr McKorley, who was addressing the graduation ceremony of the International Community School (ICS), Accra, therefore, advocated a more dynamic and flexible approach in education that encouraged learners to be innovative, problem-solvers, and adaptable to almost all environments.

“As the world keeps changing rapidly due to technological advancements, it is imperative that educational system evolves in tandem,” hence the entrepreneur challenged the current educational models to be restructured to fully prepare students for the real world.

The various interventions in the educational sector being piloted by UNICEF Ghana in the Kwahu Afram Plains North and Builsa North in the Eastern and Upper East regions respectively, have made significant changes in learning outcomes among children.

The interventions being implemented by the Ghana Education Service (GES) were funded by a Zurich-based philanthropic entity, the Jacobs Foundation, through UNICEF Ghana. The $2.3 million project support is being implemented to promote education in the two districts.

The 41 interventions under the programme include differentiated learning (DL), complementary Basic Education (CBE) Right Age of Enrollment, trainer of trainers of headteachers and teachers. Through the interventions, a total of 72 community teaching assistants (CTA) have been engaged, who are directly paid by the communities to assist in the classrooms since the district is seriously starved of teachers.

African parliaments have been challenged to use their responsibility in passing national budgets to ensure more resources are channelled towards funding education. This was said by parliamentarians attending a workshop on education at the ongoing third session of the Sixth Pan African Parliament here yesterday.

The workshop was held in line with the AU's theme for 2024: "Educate an African fit for the 21st century. Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Africa."

In his remarks, PAP president Chief Fortune Charumbira acknowledged the improvements in funding education by lower middle-income countries. "National budgets now account for 88 percent of school meals financing, up from 55 percent in 2013.

CASIO Middle East and Africa FZE, the regional subsidiary of CASIO Computer Co., Ltd., the leading education technology company, has announced the launch of an exclusive edition calculator, fx-9910NG PLUS 2nd Edition, specifically designed for Nigeria.

The innovative calculator which was unveiled today at an event at the Black Diamond Hotel in Lagos, combines basic calculation with advanced functionalities, including differential calculation, integrations, complex numbers, matrix and vector calculations, and many others.

“Following the successful training program for 1,200 teachers on the usage of calculators with Inquiry-Based Learning, we are thrilled to deepen our footprint in Nigeria by introducing the fx-9910NG PLUS 2nd Edition calculator,” said Mr. Takashi Seimiya, the Managing Director of CASIO Middle East and Africa FZE.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, has said the use of technology will significantly enhance teaching and learning. He added that technology would foster innovation and problem-solving in the Nigerian classroom, saying this aligned with the ministry’s vision to revolutionise education in Nigeria.

During an interview with our correspondent, Alli-Balogun stated, “Our classrooms must be equipped with the tools and resources necessary to prepare our students for success in the 21st century.” Alli-Balogun also emphasised the state’s commitment to technological inclusion by training and empowering teachers with necessary skills and tools.

“Education leadership is the foremost variable to be considered before any change can take place; willingness is the first thing. We prioritized training our teachers because we can’t isolate ourselves from global practices. We introduced EkoExcel and other facilities where learners can learn effectively and teachers can teach more effectively.”