Lagos State governorship candidate, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has stressed the need to strengthen the education sector through technology, artificial intelligence and improved monitoring of teachers and students.
Hamzat spoke during an evening private dinner hosted by 7th Fifteen Capital Limited in Lagos, where he presented a summary of his manifesto and outlined his plans for the education sector.
As part of his proposed educational revolution, Hamzat said artificial intelligence (AI) would be integrated into the school curriculum to prepare both teachers and students for the changing demands of the modern world.
“The teachers and students must be able to understand the tools. Even as a sociologist, you must understand the interface between AI,” he said.
He added: “The reality is that these machines are more intelligent than human beings.”
Speaking on the progress recorded in Lagos State education sector, Hamzat said teachers had been provided with tablets containing already prepared lesson notes, enabling the government to monitor students’ academic progress.
“With the already defined and prepared notes on the tablet, we are even able to monitor the academic progress of every student in each subject,” he said.
On the issue of frequent absenteeism and lack of commitment among teachers, Hamzat said his administration would introduce measures to address the problem and sanction erring teachers.
He said, “I have discovered that some teachers sit under the tree, selling something. They will not go to class. Now nobody can do that. We know when you enter the class,” he told the gathering.
Hamzat also said teachers must remain central to the learning process, while technology should serve as a tool to complement, rather than undermine, classroom teaching.
“There is a theory now that teachers are relying too much on technology to teach pupils in school. That is why Finland has now gone back to using the chalkboard in the classroom in primary school,” he said.
Speaking on the competence of Nigerian teachers, Hamzat said: “I have been to universities around the world. What I know is that the ability to give content to pupils, there is no country that does it better than Nigeria.”
He said the focus should therefore be on equipping teachers and students with the skills required to understand and effectively use emerging technologies while maintaining the human element of education.
Dignitaries at the event were Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat’s running mate, Princess Damilola Sonayon-James; the Deputy Director-General of Lagos State Campaign Council and Director of Contact and Mobilization Directorate, Hon Rasaq Ajala.
Also at the event were House of Representatives member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon Babajimi Benson; Former Chairman of Igbogbo Bayeku LCDA, Hon Sesan Daini, among several others
