A university don, Professor Muhammed Kabir Isah, Monday, urged Nigeria to embark on education based on Information Communication and Digital Technology, noting that the future of education will not be internet but metaverse.
Delivering a lecture at the 2022 National Convention of the Government College Kaduna Old Boys Association (Kadoba), with the theme “Education: The Pathway of Development in Nigeria”, Professor Isah said the world is changing and Nigeria must change with it, adding that education is the hub of any development and Nigeria should not allow itself to be left behind.
“The world is changing, UK is going into digital currency, internet is changing to metaverse. Technology is driving the world. The world is now knowledge and information based. This is the digital age, how much is Kaduna state preparing for digital economy? Nigeria’s education to GDP ratio is 0.19%, China’s education to GDP ratio is 38.5%. We are not serious, yet we have the resources. Nigeria accounts for the second largest skilled professionals in the world. Nigeria is taking over medical science in the UK and in Canada.
“In the next 10 years, internet will cease to exist, internet will move to metaverse. You will do everything from your bedroom. Schooling, work, trade, business, everything. We need to spend money on education, on industrialisation; we should train our children on skills in computer education. That is the way. Government must fund education because education is the power of any society. Education is the power that mitigates Boko Haram, the power that overran banditry and the key that unlocked poverty. But unfortunately, we are not taking education serious in Nigeria.
“Pakistan is using education to counter extremism. That is similar to what Borno state government is doing because education is the key to success of any society. The Emir of UAE and King of Saudi Arabia Kingdom came to University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital for treatment in the 70s. In August 1977 the National Aeronautical Space Agency (NASA) launched two drones Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. These Voyagers were achieved through education. Our text books on Physics, Geography, Maths and Chemistry will change in the next 10 years.”
Governor Nasir el-Rufai, who was represented by the Kaduna state Commissioner for Commerce and Business Innovation, Professor Kabir Mato, said his administration has spent massively in the renovation of school infrastructure, since 2015 to date. “It’s been very herculean because the return on investment is not going to be realised in a day or two.”
