The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, has called for a periodic review of the curriculum in colleges of education to incorporate modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teaching innovations.
He said such a review would enhance the quality of teacher training in the country.
Oyebamiji made the call in his opening remarks as Chairman of the National Education Summit organised by the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education (NANCES) held at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday.
He also urged stakeholders in the education sector to increase investment in technological innovations for teacher training, noting that the current generation, particularly those aged between five and 30, are deeply immersed in technology as a way of life.
According to him, to get the best out of the generation, Nigeria’s teaching methods must embrace technological innovation as a pathway to national development.
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At the event, the association conferred on Oyebamiji an Award of Excellence in Nigeria Inland Water Safety and Infrastructural Development.
Represented by the Executive Director of Engineering Services at the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Kayode Sowade, Oyebamiji described teaching as a noble profession that is vital to any nation’s development.
He said, ‘Education is a major tool to break the cycle of poverty and criminality. To improve the quality of our education system in Nigeria, stakeholders, including the federal and state governments, as well as the private sector, must recognise current realities by investing more in technological training that equips our teachers with modern ICT skills.
‘The lifestyle of our younger generation revolves around technology. The majority spend an average of eight to ten hours daily using mobile phones and computers. Therefore, if we must get the best out of them, we must meet them within that technological space’.
Earlier, the President of NANCES, Samuel Egunjobi, described the NIWA boss as an exceptional leader committed to the development of the younger generation, particularly within the student community.
