The Ondo State Government has commenced the digitalisation of secondary education, with teachers and students across the state already undergoing training as part of efforts to modernise learning in public schools.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, disclosed this on Friday in Akure during the grand finale of the fourth edition of the Digital Quiz Competition for secondary schools.
The competition was organised by the state government in partnership with Quickens Computer Limited, an Information and Communication Technology firm.
Ajibefun said the state was making substantial investments in digital education, adding that teachers had been equipped with digital skills which they would, in turn, pass on to their students.
According to him, the training programme is an ongoing initiative aimed at preparing schools for the full digital transformation of the education sector.
“The state government is investing heavily in digital education, with the training of our teachers and students in preparation for the digitalisation of our education system. The training is a continuous process,” he said.
He explained that ICT teachers in public secondary schools recently underwent a week-long intensive training organised by the government and its technical partners.
“At least last month, with our technical partners, our ICT teachers in public schools were trained for a whole week on digital education, and this is a continuous exercise. It started last year, and it will continue.
“For the students, when you train the teachers, indirectly you are training the students because the teachers will return to train them,” he added.
The former Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, also revealed that no fewer than 50 public secondary schools had received digital equipment through one of the state’s technical partners.
“Digital equipment has been supplied to our educational institutions, particularly secondary schools. About three weeks ago, one of our technical partners, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, supplied computer equipment to 50 public schools in the state,” he said.
Speaking on the Digital Quiz Competition, Ajibefun described it as an initiative designed to improve digital literacy, promote academic excellence and prepare students for opportunities in a technology-driven world.
“The world is rapidly evolving into a digital society where knowledge, innovation and technological skills have become indispensable tools for national development. As a government, we recognise that the future belongs to individuals who can effectively leverage technology to solve problems, create opportunities and contribute meaningfully to society,” he said.
He added that the competition was created to encourage students to embrace technology not just as users but as innovators and future leaders.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Akindele Ige, said the competition was aimed at strengthening digital literacy and critical thinking among students.
“The Ondo State Digital Quiz Competition is more than an academic contest; it is a platform for nurturing critical thinking, creativity, innovation and digital literacy among our young learners. Through initiatives such as this, we are equipping our young people with the skills and values required to succeed in a technology-driven world,” he said.
Among the schools that participated in the competition were Fiwasaye Girls’ Secondary School, Akure; Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure; and Greater Tomorrow Secondary School, Arigidi Akoko, among others.
