Technology enhanced
Education and Skills
Development
Nkiru Banjoko
The greatest and the most precious asset of a
country is its people as it is they who exploit
all natural resources and potentials of the
country, region and continent. The people are
the wealth of the nation and consequently the
strength of the continent. It is the quality of
citizenship that determines the prosperity of a
nation. Human resource development simply
signifies identifying and developing the
capabilities inherent in every citizen to its full
extent. Education, for a person is more
important than land and capital. More so in
Africa
The strength of Africa is its burgeoning youth
population if well educated and rightly skilled.
Currently, due to economic scarcity, poorly
managed education sector, the future of
many African youth is marred by illiteracy,
semi literacy and incomplete education. The
task that is ahead of us is to provide the
requisite facilities for a purposeful training of
the available manpower, so that their creative
abilities are cultivated and equipped with the
skills needed to perform productive roles and
live sustainable lives, making meaningful
contributions to the to the economic
development of nations, Africa.
This is where education and training step in to
play their crucial roles and weave a path of
creativity so that these people can tread on it
to accomplish their goals. The option we have
is open, flexible education and skills
development which can be facilitated by
available, affordable and accessible
technologies. These technologies are already
within the reach of many Africans and need
to be properly harnessed for human resources
development.
While many countries are eager to embrace
the integration of technology enhanced
education into mainstream traditional
settings, the digital divide still looms large.
There’s need for multisectoral collaboration
involving all stakeholders. Opportunities for
training and education are huge considering
the amount of people in different categories
that need to be educated and trained.
Teachers and students at different education
levels, policy makers, the public and private
sectors. Stakeholders too beyond the shores
of Africa must be involved in rebuilding the
future of the next generation.
Nkiru Banjoko
Online facilitator, Flexible Skills Development,
Commonwealth of Learning Canada
President, EdConnect Africa
14