Education: House of Reps urges Ministry of Education to introduce E-Learning/online education as a result of COVID19

The House of Representatives made this clear after taking a motion brought on the floor by Rep. Aniekan Umanah (PDP-Akwa Ibom).

In presenting his motion, the lawmaker noted that “the outbreak of the Coronavirus has altered the educational calendar globally and then urged the Ministry of Education, to include in primary and secondary school curricula, online education and e-learning, to carry along millions of children who are out of schools as a result of the effect of COVID 19.

He said According to UNESCO, most Governments around the world have temporarily closed schools in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus; these nationwide closures are impacting over 72% of the world student population. This has brought significant setback to academic endeavours with far-reaching impacts on more vulnerable and disadvantaged countries developing world such as Nigeria”.

According to him, the COVID-19 induced schools closure has kept over 1.2 billion children out classrooms and as a result, education has changed dramatically, with the distinctive increase in the use of e-Learning, whereby teaching is undertaken remotely and on digital platforms. This sudden event has caused a shift from the classrooms in our Nations schools, teachers and students have been forced to adjust and adapt to this unplanned and rapid move to online teaching and learning with no structure, training and equipment tools and are faced with inadequate preparations.

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The e-learning approach requires time and a progressive learning method. Schools and colleges would need to develop a modular structure, database and learning pattern supported by efficient communication and the Internet backbone.

He recalled “that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education announced a free e-learning portal intended to create access to online education across the nation, as well as radio and television classrooms. But this has remained intentions as reports indicate that this is not working and therefore not serving the desired need of closing the educational gaps, due to lack of instructional design and implementation”, but there was a ” lack of cognitive psychology tools to support e-Learning”.

The House with Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila presiding, also urged other educational regulatory bodies across the country, to incorporate online education and modular system into the educational curriculum in schools across the country”.

The House Committees on basic and tertiary education were also directed by the Green Chamber, to ensure compliance.

The House adopted the Motion and urged the Federal Ministry of education to urgently develop a National Policy and framework for online education for schools at various levels.