Education stakeholders have urged sustained policies supporting educational technologies in Nigeria and Africa.
They believe such policies will not only promote a conducive environment for Edutech innovations but also enhance Africans’ learning experience.
Speaking at the Startup Abuja Conference held late last year in the FCT were the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Architect Sonny Echono; Immersive Technology expert @ Nigeria Tulip International College (NTIC), Erdal Katan; Director, Business, CloudPlexo, David Ekefre; CEO of IdeaFire, Mr Sean Makulowich; and Managing Director, Peace Microfinance Bank, Judith Onyishi, among others.
The stakeholders presented their perspectives on the role of educational technology in enhancing innovation and learning in Africa. Echono highlighted the need for data-driven solutions to empower learners and educators, while Dr Ahmed Bolori stressed the capacity of technology to ensure an inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities.
Disabusing the notion that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will displace educators, Makulovich said it would instead allow teachers to focus on fostering critical thinking and creative approaches to education.
In his session, Katan espoused the benefits of immersive technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and Metaverse in promoting interactive and personalised learning experiences for students. Onyishi presented innovative approaches, including public-private partnerships and digitisation, for tertiary institutions to generate revenue.
In the meantime, three educational technology startups were funded by the event organiser, Startup Abuja. The emerging startups include winner Jonathan Onah’s ‘Diction Masters’ (N600,000), Joshua Emeka Osu’s ‘Zion Robotics’ (N300,000), and Summayah Olopoenia’s ‘EasyEdu’ (N200,000) in third place. All three were selected from the 83 startup pitches that presented solutions to tackling educational challenges in Nigeria, from language learning aids to robotics-based curriculum advancements.
Speaking at the event, Chigozie Ezeugwu, Startup Abuja Edutech Conference convener said they remain dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria. “We are committed to building a vibrant tech and startup community that drives Nigeria’s digital economy forward.”
Themed ‘New Innovation and Technologies in Promoting Education in Africa,’ the Startup Abuja Conference convened tech founders, industry leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs from across the country to explore the transformative impact of education technology in Africa.
