Anambra government stresses need for global competitiveness through ICT

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Anambra state government has reaffirmed its commitment to give Anambra children quality education that would meet global competitiveness through Information and Communication Technology.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof (Mrs) Kate Omenugha stated this during a live interactive programme on Odenigbo FM Obosi.

She described the 90,000 naira laptop policy on teachers in the state as ICT revolution designed to equip teachers with requisite knowledge and competence to meet global standard that would be transferred on children to meet global competitive in both ICT and other aspects of human endeavour.

The second female professor of Mass Communication in Nigeria announced that five students from the state are now in Singapore representing Nigeria in global school debate consequent upon the ICT knowledge they gained from their teachers.

"The National Council on Education 2012 states that it is duty of states' Ministry of Education to procure adequate computers for every teacher and ensure that they are trained on it. This is because no society can rise above the quality of education and and no society can rise above what the teacher knows.

"Nine year basic curriculum of the state has it that from primary one, pupils would be exposed to ICT, French etc while in secondary school, we have 36 trade subjects of which data processing, ICT are some of them", said Mrs Omenugha who had more that 15 years of teaching experience.

According to her, the state government intends to make Anambra one of the three top states with lowest illiteracy rate, which she affirmed, was why the state's work plan on education were on improved infrastructure, student welfare and welfare of teachers.

Prof Omenugha however advised parents to equip their children with textbooks relevant to their school curriculum as they were key to acquiring quality education.

She therefore maintained that the voluntary laptop policy include the whole package ranging from the laptop itself,training, presence of providers for nine months, curriculum among others, adding that head teachers that are not computer literate by January next year would not be promoted.
This is coming as she told www.odogwublog.com that five students from various secondary schools in Anambra that represented Nigeria in the 27th World Schools Debating Championship scheduled for Singapore between June 27 and July 3had won in the culture category.


The students are: Adachukwu Onyekwena (Girls Secondary School, Amaenyi, Awka), Nnamdi Udoji (Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha) and Chinemerem Oguaba (Awada Secondary School, Obosi).

Other s are: Chukwuebuka Obichi (Army Day Secondary School, Onitsha) and Nneka Chigozie(Mater Ammabillis, Secondary School, Umuoji).
Omenugha said their success was a positive manifestation of the premium Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra placed on education, which she said had been revolutionary.

She said the state government would provide all the necessary support to facilitate the students’ journey to Singapore, as well as ensure that they had a brilliant outing as she urged them to remain focused.