Students enjoy television-aided learning at MultiChoice Resource Centre
SOME lucky students experienced learning in a totally different method recently, when the MultiChoice Resource Centre, located at Oladipo Alayande School of Science, Ibadan, Oyo State was commissioned.
They could hardly contain their excitement, when their Geography teacher demonstrated how the Equator works, blending the theoretical aspect with the practical, through the use of television.
The MultiChoice Resource Centre Project, now in its sixth phase, has a total of 131 secondary schools across the federation benefiting. The scheme grants the benefiting schools access to the MultiChoice Education Bouquets, with the aim of integrating the programmes into their curriculum, to further enhance teaching and learning processes in the classrooms.
Representing the Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Hundah, the head of Corporate Communication, Mr. Segun Fayose said that the launch marked yet another roll out of schools which was first initiated in July 2004 during the 10th year anniversary of MultiChoice in Abuja.
With the Federal Ministry of Education and SchoolNet Nigeria, as the implementing partners, he noted that the programme was a key component of the company's corporate social investment programme "which has over the years become a valuable aspect in the provision of quality and quantitative education especially to students in public secondary schools across the country irrespective of their location."
He continued: "When we started the project in 2004, little did we anticipate that it would grow to become what it is today. At inception, our vision was to contribute our quota to our nation's long term plan of deepening the use of ICT aids, to facilitate qualitative learning and development in our public schools system."
Justifying the company's objective of creating an educational bouquet from a collection of channels on the DStv bouquets strictly designed for the MultiChoice Resource Centre Project, he noted, "we have seven of such carefully selected channels, which research has shown are capable of aiding learning and development in our schools. In order to ensure that a conducive environment is created in all our resource centres in the benefiting states, we have also contributed various items to make teaching and learning effective for the teachers and students."
Some of the items at the centre include Television sets, DVD recorders, generators, stabilisers, digital satellite decoders, smart cards, Satellite dishes and accessories (10 each). Others are VIP subscriptions, educational bouquets such as BBC world, BBC Knowledge, National geography, Animal Planet, History, Discovery and Learn Channel, 10 White boards, 10 cabinets, 420 Chairs, 80 tables, 500 empty DVD recorders, Burglary proofs for the TV sets, Generator sets and training of 50 teachers per state.
The Oyo Commissioner of Education, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, who was represented by the director, Science, Mathematics and Technical Education, Mrs. Arike Adegoke observed that the provision of the resource centre and the training of teachers would give a multiplier effect. Describing the gesture as "timely and strategic," she affirmed that the intervention coincides with the current drive by the Oyo State government to sensitise its citizenry on the un-parallel relevance of computer technology and science education to all human endeavours.
He said, " the introduction of computer education and the use of audio visual, right from the cradle, such as being advocated by MultiChoice and SchoolNet Nigeria, will provide the children with all the necessary information that will help them realise their great potentials for maximum exploration and exploitation of the environment. The children will thus be enhanced to think of how the world could be made a better place to live in."
The Assistant National Coordinator of SchoolNet Nigeria, Mrs. Ronke Bello said apart from enhancing students' academic achievement through the educational bouquets, SchoolNet has also conducted a three-day training programme for selected teachers from the benefiting schools, to aid their use of the resource centres.
According to her, a MultiChoice Centre Educators Guide had also been provided for the schools, on the use and maintenance of the centres and the integration of the school curriculum. To recognise the teachers, the maiden edition of MultiChoice Creative Teachers' Award was also held, where teachers received several gift items including video camcoders, digital cameras, laptops while the winning teachers won a return ticket to South Africa.
Responding on behalf of the trained teachers, Mr. Fasakin Akindele from Wesley College of Science, Oyo said, " the benefit of the training is immeasurable. I have been able to learn how television can be adapted as an effective tool for teaching and learning in the classroom. I now know how to change the negative effect of the TV, to positive usage, by exploring all the educational bouquet options available. It was an eye opener for me as a teacher. Even as a teacher of many years, I am also learning new things everyday through the various educational channels."
Mrs. Sekinat Tijani from Anwar-Ul Islam Grammar school. Eleyele said, " it has been an interesting experience for me as a teacher and I thank MultiChoice for selecting me to be part of this unique experience. I have gained a lot. I never knew it was possible to use television to such an extent. This project will go a long way to enhance the retention ability of the students because what you see, you can easily recall. There will never be a dull moment in class gain."
Principal of the host school, Mrs. Jennola Okunade said that the school intended to include the resource centre in its timetable to ensure that all various classes take advantage of it. According to her, while the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has been very supportive in the renovation of the building for the resource centre, the school is also dedicated to putting the centre to good use as part of their contributions to revamping the education sector.
The benefiting schools, all in Ibadan are Community Grammar school, Mokola, Abadina College Senior school, Queen of Apostle School, Oluyoro, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan City Academy, Awar-Ul -Islam, Eleyele, Wesley College of Science, Oladipo Alayande School of Science, Oke-Bola, Queens School, and Ikolaba Grammar School, Ikolaba.
