Cambridge, Hitachi Launch Talents Centre in Nigeria
In line with the desire to create a unique learning environment for every student to have access to the best educational technology resources, Cambridge University, in partnership with Hitachi Solutions, Japan has initiated a Complete Classroom Solution, Talent Centre in Nigeria.
The initiative, aimed at igniting students’ passion to learn and be empowered to compete with their peers anywhere in the world, is a collaborative effort of Cambridge University, Hitachi Solutions, Japan, Cabrilog France and a consortium of award winning education software developers and trainers under the platform of Green Circle Network Africa.
According to the organisations, over the years, the rate of failure in the West African Examination (WAEC) and NECO results calls for concern, as the rates have grown from 72 per cent to 75 per cent from 2008-2011 with 25.99 per cent credit pass in Mathematics and English Language in 2009; 33.38 per cent credit pass in English Language and 41.50 per cent in Mathematics in 2010.
It said 2011 recorded 33.34 per cent and 41.51 per cent credit pass in English Language and Mathematics respectively with 43 to 48.88 per cent credit pass in Mathematics and English Language in the 2012/2013 WAEC. While the 2013/2014 WAEC recorded just 31 per cent of five credit pass and 69 per cent failure rate.
“Part of our mission is to make impactful changes that will transform our classrooms, reduce failure rates to the barest minimum and provide all school needs,” adding that they have, over a decade, deployed solutions in Nigeria and their technology runs in over 3,000 classrooms.
The initiators explained that a survey carried out some years ago showed that in a non-technology/multimedia environment, students could only remember 30 per cent of what was taught in the classroom compared to over 69.5 per cent in a fully interactive multimedia environment where the student has free access to personalise his learning.
“This platform is designed to create a bespoke teaching/ learning environment that will inspire, excite and ignite the passion to learn and succeed irrespective of the students’ socio-economic background.”
With the student Voting System/Clickers and ‘The Profiler’, “we can identify students that are falling behind in the class almost on a daily basis and quickly identify the cause and proffer solutions immediately after each class session.”
The organisation described the Talent Centre (TC) as an interactive global classroom, which integrates the best of educational software and learning resources delivered with the best available multimedia interactive tools and equipment to provide an upscale access to transformational teaching with special emphasis on the core subjects of mathematics and English Language and by extension the science subjects.
“The TC will feature Hitachi Interactive Starboard, educational projector, magic box (CPU), microphone and speaker, Cambridge Hitachi Software for Mathematics and English, educational apps (PhyChemba), clickers /voting system, discounted internet access charge and service support.”
While promising that schools with TC would benefit direct partnership with Cambridge Hitachi, as well as an endorsed centre, exclusive international training from Cambridge Hitachi, access to robust materials from Cambridge Hitachi, training of a teacher by Cambridge Hitachi team in Nigeria and free exhibition stand, among others, it also said the students would have instant assessments on their performance, instant feedback, proffered solution/intervention and monitoring their progress over a given period.
“This way, the parents will have an online or recorded offline learning support materials that will help reinforce what has been taught in the classroom with a provision of helpline to assist in post-classroom follow-up.”