By Usman Ahmed, Kaduna
Former Bauchi State Commissioner of Education, Hon. Jamila Dahiru, has advocated for the adoption of home-grown applications to adapt digital technologies in support of learning, aiming to internationalize education in Northern Nigeria.
Dr. Dahiru made this statement at the EduNorth Summit, jointly organized by the Kaduna State Ministry of Education and Speedy Educational Consults in Kaduna.
She emphasized that while learning tools and technological facilities can support learning, they must be adequately complemented by teacher training and capacity development in line with global trends.
"The region has an opportunity to adopt modern technologies for local use by focusing on indigenous languages and their relative applications within global digital technologies," Dr. Dahiru stated. "By implementing this alongside complementary policy and funding, the region can be better positioned for global competitiveness, recognizing that home-grown solutions can be adopted and integrated into modern digital technologies to make them adaptive."
The lecturer and policy advocate stressed the importance of data-driven decisions to support policy in this area. She called on all stakeholders within the policy space to increase advocacy and awareness to make this possible.
Earlier, Mallam Shehu Abbas, the Deputy Director of Planning in the Kaduna State Ministry of Education and representative of the Commissioner of Education, noted that the summit was a timely intervention as the state focuses on reforms and improving the quality of education.
He assured that the Kaduna State government is willing to partner with entities like Speedy Educational Consults in delivering quality education to every school-aged child in the state.
The lead speaker, Professor Yahaya Saleh Ibrahim, the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Scholarships and Loans Board, acknowledged the early historical prospects of education in the region, where learning was prioritized in the traditional Ajami model.
However, he lamented the gradual decline in the region's education sector, attributing it to social, economic, and cultural challenges, particularly insecurity and poor or inadequate infrastructure. He proposed a Northern innovation hub to bring together international scholars whose experience could contribute to developing the sector and society at large.
During the panel discussion, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, the Kaduna State Council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), called for a policy shift to ensure compulsory primary and secondary education for all children in Northern Nigeria.
He argued that early marriage should be discouraged to ensure every girl has at least a secondary education before starting a family, enabling them to raise children with a proper educational background.
The event attracted notable dignitaries, including representatives from the National Assembly, state and local governments, civil society, and educationists.
The highlight of the event, themed "Attaining International Educational Standards in Northern Nigeria," was the award ceremony where Dr. Jamila Dahiru was honored with the Distinguished Innovative Leadership Award.
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