In its effort to rejuvenate the dwindling performances in public schools, Osun State government, would soon distribute 150,000 laptops, to students in its public schools free.
This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sunday Akere at a public lecture held at Igbajo Town Hall in Boluwaduro Local Government Council Area of Osun State.
The computers, according to him, would not be internet ready; to discourage social vices that youths commonly exploit the internet for, adding that they would be used effectively for academic purposes.
According to him, the governor resolved to e-learning to facilitate easy learning among students and also to facilitate friendly teaching and learning environment between teachers and their students.
He disclosed that it is disgusting that Nigeria, which pride itself as the Giant of Africa is ranked below countries like Benin Republic, Rwanda, Uganda and Botswana in global competitiveness, which results from poor technological and institutional development.
“The decision by Osun to implement the outcome of the education summit it organised early this year, by reorganising its school system at the elementary, junior and high school, is to ensure that education is returned to its pride place in the state”.
Akere maintained that other states in the country would have to emulate Osun when its numerous policies on education begin to manifest.
He added that the elementary schools would cater for pupils from Primaries One to three and each school would have the capacity to accommodate 900 pupils at a time, while the junior schools would be for pupils from primaries four to junior class three and would accommodate 1200 students at a time.
He said; “For the senior schools, it would cater for students in senior classes one to three and would have the capacity for 2500 students comfortably.”
The model schools are presently under construction in Osogbo (Elementary school), in Ilare, Ile-Ife (Junior school), and Ejigbo (Senior school).
He stated further that by January next year, the contract for construction of other schools across the state would be awarded to contractors that would build in accordance with the structure on ground.
The commissioner added that one of the focuses of the administration is to turn public schools in the state into centres of excellence, with emphasis in science and technology.
“Government had organised workshops for teachers in senior schools on curriculum content enhancement, aimed at preparing the teachers for the task ahead. This would not be the end of such workshop, as government would continue to ensure that teachers are well equipped for the task before them,” he emphasised.
The computers, Akere added, would be distributed to students this November to commemorate the first anniversary of the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led administration in the state.

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=22891

Really, really, really, bad idea. Terrible idea. Cannot overemphasize how bad an idea this is.

ekt_bear:

Really, really, really, bad idea. Terrible idea. Cannot overemphasize how bad an idea this is.

why do you say so?

I have never seen a govt that lies so much!
Damn! That state is owing its workers salaries for the 3rd month running. I wonder if they are going to be making the laptops out of old coke cans in government house, Osogbo?

1. For 95% of the work you do in primary and secondary school, you don't need a computer. Writing essays, doing math, etc, none of this requires a computer. Maybe once you've composed your essay by hand you might want to type it up later, but you definitely don't need to have one in your possession.
2. If your goal is to increase access to computers, set up centralized computer labs. That way people can come in and use it as they need, rather than something individualized. Also if you do this you can get more computational power for the money you spend (by buying desktop machines.)
3. 150k laptops, even at $300 each is $45 million. I'm pretty sure that if your goal is to boost academic performance, there are 100s of better ways to do this with 45 mil.
4. In general, handing out something to anyone "for free" will cause them to treat it in a crappy manner. What happens when this expensive equipment is lost, damaged, stolen? Will you ask them to replace this $300 laptop?

Even at the university level, for most courses of study you don't really need to own a computer.

Should we expect the age of yahoo yahoo to come back (if it ever left)?

LOL!!

Where the money go come from sef?

ekt_bear:

Even at the university level, for most courses of study you don't really need to own a computer.

I disagree.

I just don't like when politicians come up with these cheap populist ideas that aren't well thought out. Really annoys me.

ekt_bear:

He disclosed that it is disgusting that Nigeria, which pride itself as the Giant of Africa is ranked below countries like Benin Republic, Rwanda, Uganda and Botswana in global competitiveness, which results from poor technological and institutional development.
“The decision by Osun to implement the outcome of the education summit it organised early this year, by reorganising its school systemis G at the elementary, junior and high school, is to ensure that education is returned to its pride place in the state”.

What is even more disgusting is that we have people like this Governor able to make decisions on how the people's money is spent. So, to him, the most pressing need for the 150,000 students(if they even exist) is a laptop, a machine they cannot even use and will probably not be able to use considering there is still no electricity and not a lot of ADEQUATELY EDUCATED teachers in the state to teach the students??

The State has ~($500 * 150,000) dollars to spend on laptops but not on things like building higher quality facilities, libraries, Schools, etc?

^-- If it were me, I'd build a damn good public library in each LGA (or I guess several in each LGA). Equipped with lots of books, computers available to use, etc.

Access to good libraries as a kid made a lot larger impact in my life than having a computer.

Well, I'm not sure that even libraries/computer labs should be the #1 priority. But a helluva lot better than Aregbe's proposal.

ekt_bear:

1. For 95% of the work you do in primary and secondary school, you don't need a computer. Writing essays, doing math, etc, none of this requires a [/b]computer. [b]Maybe once you've composed your essay by hand you might want to type it up later, but you definitely don't need to have one in your possession.
2. If your goal is to increase access to computers, set up centralized computer labs. That way people can come in and use it as they need, rather than something individualized. Also if you do this you can get more computational power for the money you spend (by buying desktop machines.)
3. 150k laptops, even at $300 each is $45 million. I'm pretty sure that if your goal is to boost academic performance, there are 100s of better ways to do this with 45 mil.
4. In general, handing out something to anyone "for free" will cause them to treat it in a crappy manner. What happens when this expensive equipment is lost, damaged, stolen? Will you ask them to replace this $300 laptop?

ekt_bear:

Even at the university level, for most courses of study you don't really need to own a computer.

O M G,why are you talking like this. See,in my school where I graduated in UK,each student with a desktop in our class,u will  be given username and password,regardless of your course. U need a computer to write essay and do so many things.The world has changed,we are not in stone age period. Composing essay by hand is not the best! printing out hand out is not good aswell,handout can instead be on the school virtua leaning environment(VLE) whereby stundents can log in at anytime 24hrs,read and logout. projector should be used in class not chalk board.Bros,sometime im not happy about our educations system,we need so many changes. Students can have their own laptop to complete their assignments and project at home.    

^^^ Computer is used for much more than "Nairaland" ekt bear

You don't need computers to write essays. You can easily do it by hand. Sure, it might be more convenient, but isn't better. Surely providing computers for essay-writing cannot be the highest priority for Osun State at this point in time.

And everything else (math, science) aside from programming can be done with pencil, paper, and at most a calculator.

Ileke-IdI:

^^^ Computer is used for much more than "Nairaland" ekt bear

LOL

Anyway, the point is that even if you want to provide computers, do it in a centralized way. Have a computer lab available somewhere for people to use. Don't hand them out laptops.

ekt_bear:

Anyway, the point is that even if you want to provide computers, do it in a centralized way. Have a computer lab available somewhere for people to use. Don't hand them out laptops.

LOL this makes more sense.

Aregbesola needs to think twice about this. Esp when we still have schools that looks like hurricane had gone through them twice.

ekt_bear:

You don't need computers to write essays. You can easily do it by hand. Sure, it might be more convenient, but isn't better. Surely providing computers for essay-writing cannot be the highest priority for Osun State at this point in time.

And everything else (math, science) aside from programming can be done with pencil, paper, and at most a calculator.

Ah Jesus, pls bros,thats not the way,u see,things have changed. Throughout my school,I didnt use a pen.I was typing my project and assignments on a computer and saving it on a pen drive,you can even save backup in your school drive. Doing it by hand is old fashion and it is not allowed by my school.Let us grow up in everyways.Make use of a computer so that when u graduate and find a job,u will know how to make use of computer very well without been supervised

skfa1:


Ah Jesus, pls bros,thats not the way,u see,things have changed. Throughout my school,I didnt use a pen.I was typing my project and assignments on a computer and saving it on a pen drive,you can even save backup in your school drive. Doing it by hand is old fashion and it is not allowed by my school.Let us grow up in everyways.Make use of a computer so that when u graduate and find a job,u will know how to make use of computer very well without been supervised

ROFL!!!! really

ekt_bear:

Anyway, the point is that even if you want to provide computers, do it in a centralized way. Have a computer lab available somewhere for people to use. Don't hand them out laptops.

Ok i agree with you here but do it this way,make computer available  in every class and library,not just the lab and create username and password for each student. Student in their class can login with their username and password,do their work,save it and logout.Student can aswell continue their assignment at home  using their laptop and can also make use of the VLE from home aswell. Provide a printer in every class so that students can print out their assignments and project but assign to each student account the total number of printout per semester. Scrap Jamb,scrap poly jamb! from WAEC to year 1 or level 3 certificate for students that didnt have merit in their WAEC. Scrap F9 or fail,last grade should be pass not to destroy some people future,atleast with pass they can still do some certain work and bring up a family. Award BSc in Poly,college and Uni. Create certificate course starting level 1 to level 7. Mode of assessment should be assignments portfolio and practical  in some course, so that students can know what they are doing instead of just writing exam at the end of the semester that is why some gradute dont know what to do when it comes to working in the office or other places. Each student knowing what to do in their studies should be their lecturers target. Dont over populate a class.E.t.c.

This is an example of having more money than sense.


skfa1's idea is better. That way all the students can benefit from it.

Kobojunkie:

ROFL!!!! really

Yeah, LOL  

We just need to change,im not happy sometimes  

kelz88:

This is an example of having more money than sense.


skfa1's idea is better. That way all the students can benefit from it.

Thank you

India has a scheme to provide all students with cheaply manufactured tablets. That's how they intend to solve their educational crisis there. lol

Beaf:

I have never seen a govt that lies so much!
Damn! That state is owing its workers salaries for the 3rd month running. I wonder if they are going to be making the laptops out of old coke cans in government house, Osogbo?

probably foreign countries looking for a place to dump their stock of malfunctioning laptops. or probably those "one laptop per child" foreign NGO schemes.
because I'm sure either aregbesola got those laptops for free (as a donation), at a large discount, or I really don't know  . . .

whoever invented these deranged monkey smilies should be shot.

Nigeria is the dumping ground for technological jagbajantis,

Send medicre functioning lap tops to Africa ? What is the plan for recycling ? When the thing stops working.

IS IT A MAN THAT HAS NOT PAID THE WORKERS SALARY IS THE ONE BUYING 150,000 LAPTOPS TO BE SHARED

Haba this is not good enough

I rather see him pay the salaries then buy the laptops which the students would not use

Is it to encourage more Yahoo Yahoo?

skfa1:


Ah Jesus, pls bros,thats not the way,u see,things have changed. Throughout my school,I didnt use a pen.I was typing my project and assignments on a computer and saving it on a pen drive,you can even save backup in your school drive. Doing it by hand is old fashion and it is not allowed by my school.Let us grow up in everyways.Make use of a computer so that when u graduate and find a job,u will know how to make use of computer very well without been supervised

I wouldn't employ someone who doesn't know how to write. If you didn't used a pen throughout your school, then you probably don't know how to write, or the hand writing is terribly bad that nobody will understand what you write.

Everything has purpose, replacing hand writing with keyboard is not a good cause.

Aregbesola's full of populist ideas,same way he slashed the state's'university tuition and thereafter starving them of funds.Always wanting to impress onlookers and bystanders. Anyways,you guyz need to take into cognizance,the fact that Osun state's allocation has substantially increased from 2B to 8B,meaning Aregbesola now has more money to waste!

Obiagu1:

Is it to encourage more Yahoo Yahoo?

what is yahoo yahoo?