CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to the development of Nigeria cannot be underestimated. Educational system gives great recognition to ICT as indispensable tool in teaching, learning, research and school management in a number of ways. When ICTs are employed in education given the right condition, they can accelerate enrich and deepen basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics and they can motivate and engage students to learn as they become more independent and responsible for their learning. ICTs also help to relate academics to the practices of today’s work. ICTs, especially network technologies have been found to encourage active learning, support innovative teaching, reduce the isolation of teachers, and encourage teachers and students to become active researchers and learners. The National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004)
in this stead stipulated the need for ICTs at all levels of Nigerian education. For instance, the document stated inter alia in Section II sub-section 102 (a) that “all states, teachers resource centres, universities, institutes of education and other professional bodies shall belong to the network of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)”. The document noted further in Section II sub-section 102 (d) “government shall provide facilities and necessary infrastructure for the promotion of ICT at all levels of education”.
Therefore, to remain relevant as a nation, enriched national curriculum is necessary to incorporate ICTs into the education of the Nigerian children. Given the right condition the potentials of ICTs that had been enumerated earlier can be husbanded by school administrators, classroom teachers, curriculum developers, researchers, and so on, to improve the administration of the schools and provide sound basis for innovative education in Nigeria. Nigeria needs the integration of ICTs as a form of curriculum enrichment to enhance the knowledge and capability for ICTs that have denominated all human interactions. The entire school curriculum require urgent overhauling, and/or enrichment, to equip participants in the education system with the knowledge, skills and attitude for understanding and appreciating the content and structure of ICTs. This responsibility for this social re-orientation lies heavily on the shoulders of the members of the teaching cadre.
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