9mobile, a telecommunication company in Nigeria, is providing free access to lecturers and students on the tertiary educational technology platform, MyClassConnect.
MyClassConnect is a cloud-based single educational technology platform that facilitates both virtual and physical learning efficiency in higher institutions in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa,
9mobile’s support will ensure that users can access the platform without incurring mobile data costs, a statement by the telecom company said on Saturday.
The partnership with MyClassConnect is another avenue 9mobile is exploring to continue to provide innovative options for the academic community to continue teaching and learning while keeping safe during and after the pandemic.
Commenting on the initiative, Abdulrahman Ado, Executive Director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, 9mobile told NAN that: “9mobile recognizes the importance of leveraging technology to support very important segments of society like students and the academia.
`While the pandemic brought unprecedented disruptions to life and society, it has also shown us what we can achieve through technology and innovative thinking.
“That is why we are delighted to support edtech platform, MyClassConnect, to expand access to efficient virtual and in-person tertiary teaching and learning while keeping safe.
“This gesture is driven by our passion for youth and our corporate focus on education as one of the strategic corporate social responsibility pillars at 9mobile,” he said.
In his remarks, Founder and CEO of MyClassConnect, Okwuchukwu Obi, said: “The platform enables the efficient handling of academic activities both online & in-person.
“Including planning and delivering lectures, evaluating assessments with improved techniques, keeping up with educational communications out of social media to improve learning feedback, and tracking student learning progress with AI-driven data analytics.
“With this platform, lecturers can without stress, deliver lectures, manage and track learning progress in real-time instead of waiting till the end of semester.
“While students can learn seamlessly and provide feedback which improves the overall learning experience,” Okwuchukwu said.
Okwuchukwu further explained that with support from 9mobile, students and lecturers in Nigerian tertiary institutions could now seize the opportunity afforded by the MyClassConnect platform to continue learning without any disruptions.
According to him, this will make institutions more relevant beyond COVID-19.
Education System In Nigeria After COVID-19
Nigeria’s education system is still largely built around traditional pedagogical learning, which is more focused on the physical learning environment. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 has revealed the inadequacies of this mode of education.
Only 11 of the 170 universities in the country operate a distance learning platform while most of the institutions remain poorly equipped. The low level of infrastructural development in Nigeria, in terms of energy and internet connectivity, also continues to constitute a setback for the adoption of virtual learning in the country.
Primary and secondary school education in Nigeria has also been negatively impacted by the lockdown imposed on schools. Although some schools have explored several mediums to keep their students engaged during the lockdown, many students are disadvantaged due to the prevailing inequality in the socio-economy.
Students whose parents are unable to provide them with the requisite technology tools may not be able to participate. In addition, people living in rural areas, where connectivity is poor to nonexistent, are also affected.
