Benue to train 22,000 teachers on virtual education | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
18th April 2021
The Benue State Government is to train 22,000 teachers and lecturers in public schools to equip them with required digital literacy skills and ICT knowledge relevant for implementation of the e-learning and virtual education policy.
The Commissioner for Education, Professor Denis Ityavyar disclosed this in a letter of approval for the pilot test access for selected schools and training of teachers and lecturers on the Benue e-Learning/Virtual Education ICT Resource Centre (BESEVIC).
He listed some of the schools approved for participation in the e-learning/virtual education test platform to include the Benue State University Makurdi, Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo, Government Model Secondary School Makurdi, St. Dominic High School Sachi- Makurdi, Ben Paulian Secondary School, Oju and the LGEA Primary School Wurukum, Makurdi, among others.
The Education Commissioner further revealed that the BESEVIC which was established by Governor Samuel Ortom would soon be officially commissioned.
Ityavyar said the e-learning/virtual Education platform test is preparatory to the official launching of the multi-million naira Benue e-learning/virtual education and ICT in Education intervention policy of the Benue State government towards making available e-learning resources and ICT soft and hard infrastructure for all levels of Education institutions in the state
He added that the BESEVIC establishment is in accordance with the educational development of the Governor Ortom administration to key into the federal ministry of education National Policy on ICT Education 2019 document and Digital Literacy and Knowledge Economy Policy Strategy 2020-2030 of the Federal ministry of Communications and Digital economy.
According to him, the policy calls for systematic and coordinated intervention of all stakeholders to support and finance the development of ICT in Education and enhance digital skills.
The commissioner explained that BESEVIC was also fashioned out by state government to curtail the devastating effects of COVID-19 and post COVID-19 pandemic on education in the state.
“The centre is also targeted to help the implementation of the state government policy ICT in education system through information technology revolution and subsidy interventions to support and finance software and hardware infrastructure for Education institutions.”
By the integration of schools into the e-learning and ICT in Education policy, it has become mandatory that all schools in the state, both public or private, must make provision and maintain a functional ICT laboratory with systems, LAN and internet access, as well as content authoring studio with subsidy and technical support from BESEVIC.
On his part, the Managing Partner/CEO of Gamint Corporate Ltd, the consulting partner for BESEVIC, Mr. Terwase -Hembaor Gbande promised that the centre has completed development of its software as a service solution for the implementation of the virtual education platforms for schools and ready for the training, prior to official handing over and commissioning by Governor Ortom.
He posited that when finally commissioned, the BESEVIC would solve the information and technology challenges of the educational system in the state and set Benue state education on the world map of smart ICT compliant entities in the world.