Pressing issues that need urgent attention

CHUKWUEMEKA FRED AGBATA, AN ICT columnist and co-founder of GoDo noted that the adoption of technology itself is one of the major factors adversely affecting edutech in Nigeria. “Technology is not cheap,” he said the adoption modern technologies are capital intensive and due to the huge amount of money spent on the importation of the hardware and software needed to make the technology work.

Some startups in the edutech space have been able to develop good products and services that can improve Nigeria but sadly, school administrators are often not patronizing them for one reason or the other, said Agbata.

“I urge those in authority to be more open to new ideas and disruptive solutions because whether we like it or not, some of our current strategies are now obsolete,” Agbata concluded.

Ayegbuisi argued that the First World War countries seem to be far ahead as Nigeria has not started scratching the surface, claiming that the little advancement in the Nigeria edutech space only happens in the cities with less than 2% adoption.

According to Ayegbuisi, one of the biggest challenges is the affordability of data. In a country where a very large percentage of people are wallowing in abject poverty, “we can expect that only a very few privileged would be able to use technology.”

One of the biggest challenges in adoption is data affordability. In a country where a very large percentage of people are wallowing in ab- ject poverty, we can expect that only a very few privileged would be able to use technology. Infrastructure deficit is another challenge.

Ayegbuisi suggested that the way forward is to start thinking about how technology can get into the hands of students and teachers by building technology enabling infrastructure, ensure data and technology devices are accessible and affordable.