As part of measures to ensure that secondary schools in the state are Information and Communication Technology (ICT) compliant and fully digitized, Cross River State Government has commenced its Smart School programme with a pilot scheme at Government Secondary School, State Housing Estate, Calabar.
The programme, which is in partnership with Samsung West Africa Electronics Ltd., will ensure that seven secondary schools spread across the state benefit from the over N50million worth of computer laboratory.
Apart from the Smart School programme, the partnership is expected to give rise to the establishment of a Samsung Technology Academy in Cross River state.
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Flagging off the Smart school program, Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, represented by his deputy, Prof Ivara Esu, said the initiative was a testimonial that signed MoUs by the administration were beginning to come to fruition.
Prof. Esu said: “The project is focused on training the trainers and Calabar will soon be a smart city, “adding that “fibre optic cables have been laid, relevant contracts have been prepared and very soon, wherever you are, you will be able to access the internet.”
He charged the beneficiaries to use the facilities wisely in order to meet the demands of the 21st century technology and for the centre not to colonise its gains but allow others to benefit as well.
Making the presentation thursday, Samsung Managing Director, represented by Head, Enterprise & IT Business, Mr. Rotimi Agbola, affirmed that the initiative will make quality education delivery a reality in the state.
His words: “Education is a basic human right and it is something Samsung takes seriously. We also believe that Cross River State and Samsung Electronics share same goal in improving education, hence our smart school and global lining concept is going to impact on the lives of the people.”
He noted that the school will focus on the “training of 50 teachers in basic computer literacy, provision of teachers with access to tools, empowerment of teachers to access digital contents as well as conducting assessment of students progress and providing them with learning tools from any location.”
Explaining that the Smart School in Calabar is among the first three of ten ICT laboratories which Samsung intends to roll out across the country in the nearest future, the Managing Director said: “Guidance from teachers who understand the technology will be the first step for students to gain the skills needed in a rapidly advancing ICT world.”
Lauding Governor Ben Ayade for his passion for the full digitisation of the state, the state Commissioner for ICT, Chief Offu Aya said: “Long before coming into office, Governor Ayade realised that one of the major tools required for the liberation of the state from the quagmire of poverty was to build a robust knowledge economy with ICT as the critical enabler.”
According to Education Commissionewin Mr. Godwin Ettah, “the smart education program has three folds which include the training of 50 teachers to retrain their colleagues, negotiating with Samsung to provide ICT centres and the building of a Samsung Technology Academy in Cross River state.”
Ettah hinted that “arrangements were in top gear for the establishment of two ICT centres in each of the 18 LGAs in the state to move Cross River from having a minimal four JAMB centres to 36.”