Prof Abdalla Uba Adamu, Vice Chancelor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has disclosed the University’s plans to partner with Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to enhance learning using digital solutions.
Professor Adamu disclosed this while leading a delegation of Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL) of the University on a courtesy visit to the Director General, Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami in Abuja.
NOUN Vice Chancelor said, the University and ACETEL want to explore areas of support from NITDA in terms of ICT policies, enabling environment that will help develop short courses in cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence and advanced information technology as well as assist the Centre with digital solutions for enhanced learning.
Responding, the Director General of the NITDA commended the effort of the varsity to seek support for digital enhancement from his agency, saying “very few universities in the country are technologically driven like NOUN.”
“I commend your mission and vision in NOUN, it is a clear indication that you are ahead of many Universities in Nigeria. Very few Universities come here to talk about ICT with the passion you have come with”.
Pantami maintained that only few institutions are willing to engage the agency because they are still operating manually.
He urged Vice-chancellor to keep challenging the status quo at NOUN, saying “without changing the status quo we cannot change anything. Anyone who is scared of changing the status quo cannot move forward and make progress, we need people who are not dogma and are willing to take risks.”
Also speaking, the Centre Director, Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning, Prof. Grace Jokthan says ACETEL is seeking collaboration with NITDA as a means of improving the system of education in Nigeria using ICT as the mode of delivery.
“At ACETEL, we are using digital tools and solutions to transmit education to wider people. We are asking for support from NITDA in terms of provision of Bandwidth, policy engagement, capacity development, virtual libraries, smart tools like tablets and android devices that learning contents would be codified for students”, She said.
