Stakeholders in the education sector have converged on Abuja for the National Council on Education (NCE) to chat course on ways to guarantee a functional education in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Nasiru Sani-Gwarzo at the 68th NCE meeting on Monday, said digital technology was needed to shape the future of the Nigerian educational system.

The event Is themed: ?Innovation, Digital Technology and Entrepreneurship: Tools for Educational and National Development in the 21st Century??.

The permanent secretary explained that the effective use of the new teaching and learning tools would require humane and dedicated teachers who were digitally and technologically savvy.

According to him, innovation is essential for progress and growth, not only in the education sector, but in the economy and society as a whole.

?Therefore, innovation in the education sector requires a shift towards project-based learning where learners apply knowledge to solve real-world problems.

?And are equipped with the skills for researching, analysing, communicating and leveraging digital tools to criss-cross the digital world effectively,? he said.

He commended the present administration for the political will and commitment to providing the required resources to guarantee a functional education that enhanced lifelong learning.

?Nigeria cannot afford to sit on the fence, in embracing digital technology coupled with entrepreneurship leveraging the vast resources (both human and material) available to generate employment by youths themselves.

?Education worldwide has gone beyond reading books, writing on chalkboards and taking or copying notes from the teachers.

?The digital classroom has converted these traditional methods to more interactive and engaging activities for both learners and teachers,? he added.

Sani-Gwarzo said the Ministry had developed a template for National Skills Information Centres (NaSIC) to fast track the collation of skill data from relevant parastatals and Skills Technological Centres (STC) across the six geo-political zones.

He said the objectives of this was to review and secure the buy-in of the relevant stakeholders on the draft policy for all-inclusive skills and to proffer solutions to the challenges facing technical colleges.

He urged delegates at the meeting to critically examine the summary of recommendations from plenary and bring out policies that would be recommended to the Council.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting brought together permanent secretaries from the 36 states of the country, Civil Society Organisations and other Stakeholders in the education sector. (NAN)

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