Teachers Urged to inculcate virtual, digital learning skills

Teachers Urged to inculcate virtual, digital learning skills

With the coronavirus Pandemic ravaging the world and its negative impact its having in the world, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, recently revealed that over 35 million children are not in school, specifically children in public schools at the primary and secondary level.

In a communique issued by DEAN Initiative recently addressed the negative impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on both teachers and students in Nigeria.

The virtual  town hall meeting which had in attendance, Mr. Semiye Michael, Country Director World Largest Lesson and Executive Director DEAN Initiative, Mr.  Gideon Olanrewaju, Executive Director, Aid for Rural education Access Initiative (AREAi), Ms. Joy Oballum Technical Consultant, World Bank Group, Mr. Busayo Morakinyo Community Engagement Manager Connected Development(CODE), Ms. Kemi Ogunsanya, Literacy Educator/ Learning and Development Professional.

They commended the interventions already initiated by the Federal ministry of Education in addressing the impact on education and learning through the Federal Ministry of Education Covid-19 Response.

However it was observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed weaknesses in the educational system, which include: poor funding, lack of infrastructure and investment in technology, need for improved retraining and training for teachers to be relevant in modern learning and education.

The DEAN Initiative further beckoned on all teachers in the public and private sector to imbibe the habit of learning virtual and digital skills, as the world is becoming a computer village daily.

Mr. Semiye Michael said, “Teachers need proper training to transition properly to virtual learning they need to be equipped with digital Learning skills, teachers need to be effectively trained on the use of digital and information skills to navigate the learning process.

“As we move towards recovery Post- COVID-19, there is need to embed core skills into our teaching and learning process. Skill based learning should be prioritize over Knowledge based learning to ensure that every Nigerian child is adequately positioned for the future.

“The issue of funding for education need to be taken serious, the Covid-19 has exposed the lack of the needed investment by government in education development. With funding for education, it should be accompanied with tracking to ensure the funds are directed to the intended need.

“Government at all level should prioritize investment in education because no nation outshines the level of its financial investment in Educational development. Above all, the need to ensure that teachers who are saddled with the key responsibilities of education and learning should be properly positioned for 21st century learning”.