One pertinent challenge for society in the 21st century is keeping pace with the knowledge and technological expertise necessary for finding, applying and evaluating information. While we presently live in an information-rich society where the amount of information and knowledge is doubling at a significant rate, technology is “restructuring the educational system, changing teaching and learning in ways that impact on all.
And as roles are changing, new skills are required, probating teachers to find meaningful ways and workable strategies for teaching with technology. The professional development of teachers has started to evolve to include ways to incorporate emerging technology and tools into classroom activities. Every day, we learn about new technology that will revolutionize the ways we interact with the world around us. Preparing students to successfully engage in this new technological world has become a prominent endeavor globally.
Like every other eminent society whose greatest asset is the future, the government of Lagos State is strategically brewing a formidable future through her educational reform project. The pursuit of opening the educational system and building opportunities around it has been the focal points of this administration which is well encapsulated in the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.
Correspondingly, the latest descendant in this bouquet of sterling projects radiating across this faculty is the EKO EXCEL initiative. An acronym for, “Excellence in Child Education and Learning”, the initiative is designed to reposition public education in the State and improve method of teaching to meet demands of 21stCentury. The broader concept of this initiative is to transform all government primary schools across the state by connecting teachers to the very neoteric model of pedagogic profession, using an innovative technology and data-driven platform.
Referencing Governor Sanwo-Olu’s opulent commitment to developing the sector, the philosophy of ensuring that schools across the State becomes a deluxe of work and learning is recondite to the Greater Lagos project. Similarly, the business of developing the itinerary of this faculty is a huge investment and creating that new learning environment to improve the velocity of pupils’ performance requires that teachers possess the confidence, understanding and skills to effectively integrate technology into their teaching practice.
Accordingly, the EKO EXCEL project is statured a neutral technological structure that will provide a variety of new ways to communicate, gain information and match students learning styles. A crucial component of this initiative is the creation of improved methodology for teachers to unequivocally enhance their content delivery and effective classroom and behavior management.
Along with such canon ambition of intensively building a highly skilled and competent workforce in the profession, the State Government is projecting to market this refined business among 500, 000 pupils across the 1,016 public primary schools in the State. Presently, 4000 primary school teachers and educational managers consisting of 300 schools have been integrated into the cognitive and analytical system of the project.
Besides the training of teachers in innovative thinking, establishing research-based instructional methods through the effective integration of technology for curriculum development has been established. This does not only allow teachers to prepare practice exercises in a productive manner, it also allows them to better measure the advancement of their students. Giving them a much clearer picture as to their students’ advancement where they can intervene in a timely and effective manner and be able to analyze trends across the class. Also, there is programming accessible with which teachers can give or get assessments of their students continuously. This digital assessment allow gives them the ability to keep records up to date more easily and accurately.
Furthermore, the concept of education is not just about memorizing facts which makes students passive recipient of knowledge; it is also about giving students opportunity to conceptualize and be invited to put themselves into the delight of learning. This is how they can acquire the skills that will prepare them to interact with the world. The quest of the EKO EXCEL project is not so much to figure out how to teach best as to figure out how students learn best, and as such, in the heart of its implementation is the creation of intentional connection between the teachers and pupils that will help to cultivate a positive mindset.
The fundamental conditions of learning in basic classes which are well established in this campaign will permit technology to have a profound impact on student learning. The irrepressible desire to leave no child behind in creative thinking and formidable skills will potentially ensure that every child is technologically literate by the end of basic class. With resilient pride, the Government is confidently creating an enduring educational platform for every child in the State to excel, restoring public confidence in the public-school system.
More importantly, this continuing quest to establish a culture of learning is not only being driven by the State Government. Private institutions and stakeholders are also teaming up with government and mobilizing resources towards advancing the operation of primary education across the State. Undeniably, the efficacy of reforms in the State’s education system will be the greatest treasure that will pilot the Greater Lagos aspiration and make the State a model of civilization.
