Etim Ekpimah
Teachers in Akwa Ibom State public schools have commended the state government for the training they received on VRILE/Edu-Tap devices, saying that Governor Umo Eno is fulfilling his campaign promises through inclusive digital education.
The Ministry of Education organised the training and urged teachers to make good use of the knowledge gained to better the educational needs of students in their schools.
The training exercise which was held at the Community Secondary School, Aka Offot, Uyo, on Monday, 27 June 2023, was organised by the State Ministry of Education in partnership with an information technology services outfit, Infortech Technology Limited based in Lagos.
The training programme focused on the use of a set of infotech systems known as the Virtual Reality Immersive Learning (VRILE) and EduTap devices, described as innovative solutions that operate on electronic-based interfacing devices that ease the activities of imparting knowledge in schools using modern educational digitised devices for easy retention of lessons by students, during and after classes.
Declaring the training open, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Lady Rose Bassey said, the introduction of the innovative solutions device into the State school system was based on the priority attached to the education of children in the state by the state government.
According to Lady Bassey, education in modern times operates on the foundation of digitised structures that enhances the acquisition of knowledge by students via e-book and other search engines, hence the need to train and equip teachers with the skills of digital education technologies which she said, aligns with the policy thrust of Pastor Umo Eno’s inclusive digital education of children and citizens.
The Permanent Secretary charged teachers at the training event to make good use of the knowledge gained so they would transfer to their colleagues and students in their various schools, noting that the training exercise was train-the-trainers based.
While setting the tone for the training exercise, the head, Directorate of Educational Service, Nse Ekpo acknowledged the state government for advancing the use of information technology devices in the public secondary schools in the state, harping participants on the need to exchange knowledge gained at the training programme with their colleagues and students.
The resource person, Mr Akachukwu Ordu who is the Product Manager, Inforport Technology Limited, said, the technology birthed during the COVID-19 lockdown, borne out from the background of electronic games for children with amazing innovation in teaching and learning.
“These devices encourage experiential learning as students can see what they were taught, and can retain without cramming the learned concepts”, Mr Ordu stated.
He said, “The VRILE device has six years’ worth of contents loaded, covering Nigerian and British curriculums as it aids school children with the ability to carry out experiments as multiple times as possible; eliminating the use of chemicals and acid points in the laboratories by students.”
Describing the EDUTAP device, the resource person said, the tablet is developed with a breakdown of every lesson, classwork, pre-test and examination question that enhances easy teaching and learning activities for both teachers and students, all in a device as students.
In their goodwill messages, the State President, All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, Mr Steve Akpabio, and the Principal of Community Secondary School, Aka Offot, Uyo, Elder Ime Akpakwa commended the state government for the training programme which they described as an effort that would upgrade schooling system in the state to technology-based international standards.
In their part, Mrs Ruth Jacob teaching at the Community Secondary School, Aka Offot, and her colleague, Mr Isonguyo Ukpong of Northern Annang Secondary School, Utu Etim Ekpo, lauded the government for organizing the training programme which they attested to have imparted and grounded them with modern technological skills in teaching and learning.
The participating teachers promised to reciprocate the state government’s gesture by exchanging knowledge gained with their colleagues and students.