The All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) says Nigeria’s digital education transformation must go beyond procurement of computers and hardware.
This is contained in a communiqué issued to newsmen on Friday at the end of 68th National Congress of ANCOPSS held in Kaduna.
The communiqué was signed by the ANCOPSS National President, Dr. Robert Okorie, and the National Publicity Secretary, Samuel Okpe.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the congress is: “Leading the Digital Leap: Redefining Quality Education through Technology-Driven Assessment and School Management.”
ANCOPSS officials called on governments at all levels to overhaul digital infrastructure in secondary schools and improve the welfare and digital skills of teachers.
According to them, effective digital education requires investment in human capacity, infrastructure, data systems, instructional standards, and change management.
The principals expressed concern over the digital divide affecting disadvantaged learners, particularly those without internet access at home, as well as disparities in the quality of devices available to schools and students’ varying levels of computer literacy.
They identified resistance to change among teachers, school administrators, and other stakeholders as a major obstacle to the adoption of modern digital teaching methods.
According to them, while teachers are routinely described as “nation builders”, there has been no corresponding improvement in their remuneration, access to computers, internet services, and professional training.
The association said it was unrealistic to expect teachers to produce digitally competent students while they continued to rely on outdated teaching methods and lacked adequate digital resources.
They further expressed concern over the under-utilisation and poor maintenance of digital equipment already acquired by some schools, blaming the situation on inadequate technical knowledge, funding, and support.
ANCOPSS also identified persistent power outages, poor communication networks, and inadequate internet services, particularly in rural areas, as major barriers to digital teaching and learning.
The principals urged governments and other education stakeholders to develop a comprehensive digital transformation framework that would prioritise teacher training, reliable power supply, connectivity, appropriate devices, cybersecurity, data protection, and accessibility for learners with special needs.
They called for continuous, practical training and retraining of teachers and school administrators on the use and maintenance of digital equipment and platforms.
The association urged authorities to improve teachers’ welfare and remuneration, arguing that their conditions of service should reflect the critical role they play in the education system.
They also called for all schools designated as digital schools to be provided with reliable internet connectivity, constant electricity, and renewable energy alternatives to reduce the impact of power outages.
They further appealed for adequate budgetary provisions for digital infrastructure in schools and stronger support for the implementation of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curriculum.
According to the principals, this will ensure students are prepared for a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, renewable energy, biotechnology, digital finance, and global competition.
The ANCOPSS officials appreciated the Kaduna State Government for approving the hosting of the 68th National Congress in the state.
They also commended the State Commissioner of Education, the Director-General of the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, and the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Secondary School Education Board.
The association also acknowledged the contributions of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, traditional institutions, education agencies, security agencies, media organisations, and other stakeholders for facilitating the success of the congress. (NAN)
