By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The University of Maiduguri in Borno State has been renamed after the late former president of Nigeria, Mr Muhammadu Buhari.

The higher institution of learning was renamed after the late Nigerian leader by his successor, Mr Bola Tinubu, on Thursday night.

The announcement was made by Mr Tinubu during a special Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Mr Buhari died on Sunday evening in a London clinic and was buried in his hometown of Daura in Katsina State on Tuesday.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

American Tower Corporation (ATC) Nigeria and ProFuturo Foundation have come together to distribute some educational materials designed to enhance digital access and learning opportunities for students and students in 11 schools from three of the 36 states of the federation.

Each of the educational pack contains a computer, tablets, router, projector, and other essential components and will boost digital literacy, financial education and vocational training for adults, and healthcare services.

The items are being distributed by the leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure and the global initiative for educational innovation through the Kukah Centre under the Digital Communities scheme.

The goal is to enhance the understanding of vulnerable school contexts to promote innovative teaching practices more effectively and to strengthen the digital transformation of education.

The 11 schools chosen are from Kano, Kebbi and Taraba States, with 5,600 children and 34 teachers expected to benefit from the programme.

“At ATC Nigeria, we are proud to support this impactful collaboration, which brings digital tools directly into classrooms.

“Through our collaboration with the ProFuturo Foundation, our Digital Communities program is expanding access to technology and equipping the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in a digital world,” the chief executive of ATC Nigeria, Mr Pieter Van Der Westhuizen, stated.

Also, the General Manager of ProFuturo, Ms Magdalena Brier, said the collaboration “reinforces the commitment of the two organisations against the digital divide and the education gap.”

“The alliance between ProFuturo Foundation and American Tower is a big step to improve educational opportunities for the most vulnerable.

“We are very honoured with their support for what we have been doing since 2016 and I continually think about each of the teachers, boys and girls who will benefit, because, together, we are going to contribute to transform their lives,” she added.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a driving force of the fourth educational revolution and a major carrier of the technological progress that is changing societies and economies globally.

Integrating AI into Nigeria`s school curriculum presents a transformative opportunity to improve learning outcomes, enhance teacher’s effectiveness, and enhance quality education.

The integration of AI into Nigeria’s school curriculum can enable the creation of advanced e-learning platforms that simulate classroom experience, automate repetitive tasks, and analyze data to optimize educational content.

AI`s growing influence on all aspects of daily life and society is reshaping the world, making AI literacy an essential skill for everyone. As a result, AI concepts should increasingly be integrated into both formal school curricula and out of school learning systems. AI literacy is now widely regarded as a critical competency that young learners must develop to thrive as future creators and innovators. AI should be an apparatus for learning so as to eliminate irrelevant courses in the curriculum and must be introduced from an early age.

There are other obstacles, such as the fact that many schools still lack computers, internet connection, and qualified staff. AI, on the other hand, has the potential to be a game changing equalizer by providing standardized, superior resources such as internet infrastructure regardless of location.

Benefit of Introducing AI Into Nigeria’s School Curriculum

The power of AI is undeniable, and understanding the pros and cons of Artificial intelligence in education is essential for making informed decisions. Some of the advantages of AI include the following;

1. It provides student with immediate feedback

AI offers students instantaneous and detailed feedback on their work, helping them to see their strengths and weaknesses. Such feedback enhances understanding and learning outcomes and helps teachers to know what to focus on in future lessons.

2. It can result in more inclusive class sessions
   AI has powerful tools that make previously inaccessible material available to students with special needs. Tools that offer text-to- speech, visual recognition, and more can help teachers adapt resources so that all students have an equal learning opportunity. 

3. It fosters critical thinking

The advent and use of AI in classrooms lends itself to discussions regarding critical thinking and ethical considerations. Introducing AI can help them grow and develop as thinkers, learners and problem solvers.

4. It helps in advanced learning

The introduction of AI into school curriculum can help generate custom learning materials, such as quizzes, flashcards, and even entire lessons tailored to a student`s strengths and weaknesses.

5. Enhance efficiency

Artificial intelligence provides numerous benefits such as time saving capabilities, reducing errors, increasing efficiency, accuracy, effectiveness and unbiased decision making in teaching and learning process.

6. Improved motivation and engagement

Integrating AI into school curriculum can create more interactive and engaging learning experiences that can help students focus on their learning. 

Conclusion

Integrating AI into Nigeria`s school curriculum is not just an option, but a necessity for preparing the students, fostering innovations, and driving national development preparing them for a real-world experience. Educators must be trained to use AI effectively without sacrificing the essential role of human interactions and mentorship in learning.

Emmanuel Otori is the Chief Executive Officer at Mangrove Technologies Ltd. He has had experience working on a variety of projects with the World Bank, GiZ, Mastercard Foundation, Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) etc. He has impacted over 1000 businesses in creating a sustainable business model.