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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government will re-equip 10,000 schools across the country over the next 10 years.
Delivering a lecture at the 23rd convocation of the Lagos State University (LASU) on Thursday, Prof. Osinbajo said Nigeria was in a race against other economies and against time. Technology has changed the employment landscape permanently.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Africa Centres of Excellence in African Universities: A Veritable Catalyst For Nation Building and Development’, said more need to be done in improving research in Nigeria.
He also hinted that the national curriculum will be changed to accommodate science and technology at all levels.
“Our new policy, therefore, is to introduce Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) curriculum in primary and secondary schools.
“We also recognize that schooling should support the development of skills in cross-disciplinary, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and digital technologies.
“These skills are essential in all 21st-century occupations.
“The national curriculum being developed, will not only include the teaching of coding, digital arts, design thinking, robotics, critical thinking and other skills but also using these skills in interpreting traditional curriculum topics.
“The Federal Government’s aim is to ensure that from early education, primary school onwards, regardless of social background or geographical location, every young person should have a fundamental level of digital and STEAM literacy that enables them to succeed locally or internationally.
“The curriculum is one of the crucial components of the programme’s success. It recognizes the importance of having a well-rounded curriculum that is global in orientation and local in its application.
“Quality teaching is the key to lifting Nigerian students skills quotient to attaining the National objective. Teachers need to be equipped with the skills and confidence to support digital literacy, functional skills training and STEAM learning.
“Our efforts under the National strategy will focus on implementing National re-training at primary and secondary levels, implementing National initial teacher education standards, sharing best practices and efforts to attract more STEAM graduates to the teaching profession.
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“Conducive learning environments are crucial to motivate students and enhance learning. Classrooms and other learning centers must be remodeled.
“We will therefore under the new scheme, be remodelling and re-equipping 10,000 schools every year for the next ten years. There is no doubt that we would be leaning heavily for direction, support and ideas on the Lagos State University’s Centre of Excellence program.
“Since by providence, STEAM education research will be your focus, this collaboration will be an important one. We expect that STEAM will fundamentally determine the future of the Nigerian socio-economic landscape.
“We are in a race against other economies and against time. Technology has changed the employment landscape permanently. For the first time in human history, men and women will be trained in their own countries, they may even work from their bedrooms and compete for jobs anywhere on the planet.
“Computing is the ultimate agnostic tool. You may never even have to see your employer, your employee or service provider.
“Our success or failure will determine our economic future. This is the existential nature of the task before the LASU Centre of Excellence and the Nigerian Government. God helping us, we will not fail.
“Please permit me a word for the graduating students today. It was Prof Woodrow Wilson who said, “A man or woman who leaves a University, must be a man or woman of his nation and a man or woman of his or her time.”
“In other words, you must be concerned about building your nation and you must recognize that every generation is uniquely equipped to deal with its own challenges.
“Be suspicious of those who speak of the good old days, they are probably suffering from memory loss. Your own days are the best days yet.
“Fareed Zakaria, the CNN journalist, told a Harvard graduating class in 2012, that the smartphone you have in your hands, has more computing power than the Apollo space capsule that went to the moon.
“That is to demonstrate to you that you have more in your pockets today, more in your hands today, much more technology than was available when the Apollo spacecraft landed on the moon.
“You are not by any means disadvantaged. You are graduating at the most advanced moment in human history. The challenge for you and for which I am confident you are prepared is to make your own contributions, to make your own times better now and in the future.
“I congratulate family and friends of the graduands on this day of joy. For the graduands today, I cannot resist saying my favourite prayer for you; as your days, so shall your strength, your wisdom and favour with God in Jesus mighty name,” Prof Osinbajo said in a statement issued by Laolu Akande his spokesperson.
This means you will have enough strength in your bodies, your minds and finances, to meet your daily challenges. There are a thousand and one excuses for failure, ignore them all, and you will succeed! Congratulations!
