Ondo State government says it has deployed technology to accurately track and manage the number of students and teachers in both public and private schools.
The government said the effort would also help track students’ progression per session.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Akure.
Ajibefun said that the state government had plans to ensure discipline returns to schools, raising the standard and quality of education, and dealing with other related issues.
The commissioner said that the ministry had started issuing Identity Cards to students in public schools and would do the same for pupils in private schools.
Ajibefun said the ongoing reforms in the education sector were geared towards revamping the state industry.
He said the portal would also help track students’ movements, regardless of school, and prevent sharp practices.
“We are deploying technology, which will help us. So, the portal, the digital platform of the Ministry of Education, is now very active.
“We will migrate most of our activities into the ministry’s portal.
“We will be able to do a lot of things through our digital portal, which will soon be launched. We will monitor schools and their activities on our digital portal.
“Without technology, it might be challenging to do several things that will bring discipline back to schools, but we can do a lot with the digital portal.
“For instance, we’re looking into the activities of our private schools, where there are some unapproved schools.
“Government is very interested in these private schools because of their impact. If they have a positive effect, it will positively impact society.
“If they have a negative impact, it will definitely water down all the government’s efforts since they control the larger population,” Ajibefun said.
The Commissioner emphasised the importance of private schools and the need for quality and standards in the sector.
“We want to see the quality. If it is below normal, it means the majority of our children will be negatively affected.
“And that is why all schools in the state will be migrated to our digital portal so that they can be monitored.
“We have a minimum requirement for registration or approval of a school. So we will go to all the schools to see what they have in place and are doing,” the Commissioner told NAN.
He said many private schools would be re-evaluated to determine the environment they are operating in, whether it is safe or unsafe for children, the number of teachers, and many other factors. (NAN)
