Digital Literacy: NITDA advocates school curriculum review to meet 21st Century needs

*Kashifu Inuwa, Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, emphasises the need to incorporate digital skills in school curricula is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to create millions of jobs by leveraging digital technologies and achieving a digital literacy rate of 70 percent by 2027

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

Malam Kashifu Inuwa, Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has emphasised the urgent need to partner with relevant industry stakeholders to review the existing school curriculum and develop a comprehensive one that incorporates digital skills at all educational levels in Nigeria.

ConsumerConnect reports the Information Technology (IT) sector regulatory agency noted this collaborative effort is essential to fostering digital literacy and cultivating talents in the West African country’s digital space.

NITDA disclosed Inuwa stated this during a recent meeting with the Management team of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), led by Prof. Ismail Junaidu, Executive Secretary of the Council, at the agency’s Corporate Headquarters, in Abuja, FCT.

Why Nigeria targets 70 percent digital literacy rate by 2027: Inuwa

The Director-General also explained that such a move is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to create millions of jobs by leveraging digital technologies and achieving a digital literacy rate of 70 percent by 2027.

Digital technology, Inuwa affirmed, has an important role to play in the design of the curriculum, content and processes due to evolution of technology.

He also said this disruptive technology has substituted the way of doing things worldwide, and that Nigeria as a country should not be left behind global tech ecosystem.

Inuwa further noted: “We must lead in developing a competency-based, outcome-focused curriculum that addresses the demands of the 21st century.

“This will enable us to produce a skilled workforce capable of meeting the needs of the Nigerian market and attracting investment from other countries.

“Integrating digital skills into the curriculum is crucial for national development and economic growth.”

According to him, the Nigerian Government’s policies and objectives, especially as they relate to sustainable development, 21st Century skills, digital economy, creative arts and digital technology will create a pathway for nation building.

Inuwa also explained that things have scaled up to meet up the new normal, like computer precision to digitalisation, which is the central focus of the curriculum to provide citizens with the required knowledge and skills and digital technology for growth and development.

Digital literacy critical to Nigeria’s sustained development, says Prof. Junaidu

Earlier in his remarks at the meeting, Prof. Ismail Junaidu, Executive Secretary of NERDC, had stated that their institution is charged with the primary responsibility of curriculum development for the country at all levels of education in the country.

The NERDC Chief noted this could not be done without the infusion of digital literacy as a critical area for the development of any country.

He also explained that his team’s visit to the NITDA Headquarters was to scale up the existing relationship, partnership, engagement, and to explore potential areas that both organisations would have a tie towards national development.

Junaidu disclosed the institution is also responsible for undertaking and promoting book development, and local authorship for quality assurance, conducting educational research for public policies formulation and implementation and developing Nigerian languages and promote other languages to enhance education delivery and for public use.

He used the occasion to commend NITDA for its significant contributions to advancing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) across Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary applauded the agency’s efforts, which span across almost all states, and highlighted the impact these initiatives have had on driving growth and development in the ICT sector.