ICT: A Beautiful World To Explore (A Case Study)

Out of my passionate pluck for the development of rural communities and eradication of information poverty through Education in Nigeria, I volunteered with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in the International Citizen Service (ICS) Program for 4 months in 2014. My placement was a government primary school in the heart of a normadic community in Kwara State.

I took the teachers through the basics of ICT and the amazing things they can do with this miracle of the century.

At the end of my stay, I came up with the case study below and I decided to share:

'I am so happy to be able to use my small nokia 112 to surf the internet now, to get news updates rather than pay more money to buy newspaper everyday' said Mallam I. Aribidesi, the Class 3 teacher of Nomadic Primary School, Odo-Owa, Oke-Ero LGA of Kwara State, Nigeria. 'It has become quite easy for me now to get information online' affirmed Mallam Aribidesi who benefitted from the presence of VSO-ICS volunteers in his school.

'I could only call and send text message with my mobile phone earlier, but now I can launch the browser on my phone and surf any website I desire' explained Mallam Aribidesi.

Mallam Aribidesi, who attended most of the computer training session organised by the VSO-ICS volunteers is so interested in Information and Communication Technology and is excited to be introduced into basic computer knowledge and to understand the importance of being a computer literate in this changing world.

3 male and 6 female teachers have been introduced to the use of computer. Mallam Aribidesi, when asked if it is important for teachers to be encouraged to use computer and the internet, said 'when I want to teach my pupils, I search the topics on google to get a creative way to present it to them, so it is very good for other teachers to learn how to use the internet, it's a new world to explore'

P.S: In a few months, I will be embarking on an education project for street kids and rural youth in Nigeria. The project is bent on setting up an atmosphere to get the street kids to develop life skills, financial readiness, ICT skills and literacy that will help them to get jobs and be a responsible part of the society.

The project extends to the rural youth and hopes to help to rethink education for this underserved communities. The wide gap in ICT knowledge between the rural and urban youth needs to be closed. The resources in the rural communities are wasting away because of lack viable knowledge.

They are hungry to learn, develop and make their voice heard in the global communities. Will you help them?