THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE WORLD VS NIGERIA'S

School children aged between 10 – 17 in Europe, Asia and America are designing robots, drones, computer codes and apps that are making a difference in peoples’ lives and generating a colossal amount of money on Apple Stores and Google Stores, etc. Thanks to well-developed and up-to-date education systems and high-performance initiatives and cultures. For example:

(a) A 16-year-old Australian, Ben Pasternak, is the CEO of Flogg, and a multi-millionaire through the creation of a game app at age 12.

(b) Thomas Suarez (USA), the winner of the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards, was already a multi-millionaire and business tycoon by the age of 12 and the youngest to appear on TED Talk, an international discussion forum, following his success in the development of iPhone apps.

(c) Arsh Dilbagi, a 16-year-old Indian secondary school student, is a young roboticist who designed a next-generation Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device for people with conditions that prevent them from communicating verbally

(d) Cynthia Sin Nga Lam, 17, Australian, mindful of limited access to electricity and potable water in some developing countries, developed “a portable device that purifies wastewater while generating electricity sustainably and affordably.”

In Nigeria, students are still taught the very pre-historic rudiments of physics and chemistry in our schools. And this is even in the few schools that teachers and students still meet in the classrooms!

In our schools, today, a major pre-occupation of the elites controlling the federal ministry of education, is the introduction of Arabic Language and Religious Studies as core subjects (well, may I not be misunderstood on this one; I don’t dispute the teaching of any form of religious education in schools, especially since they contain a major ingredient of our moral values as African - in a global world). However, their children are studying in UK and US where high-quality education excludes these same subjects. This is a shackle that must be broken and only possible with a government that is in tune with the fundamentals of economic and scientific progress.

Well, the last statement is what readily comes to mind and is spewed out of the lips almost spontaneously – the government, each time matters of concern is talked about in this country. But fact is, it is a collective responsibility of everyone. I mean information is readily available to everyone these days, events are shown on global TV networks across the world and social media platforms are handy to get the latest of any sort of information to anyone right in the loo. So we can’t say we are not aware, we can’t say we don’t know how other countries survive and even thrive in these times, we can’t say government cluelessness is directly proportional to our own cluelessness, and you know what, we can’t even say we don’t know how to go about it?

At this point, may I now take some time out to acknowledge some very high spirited, forward looking Nigerian who have made their marks and are still writing their names in gold:

1.   THE IKHIANOSIME BROTHERS

The duo of Osine Ikhianosime and Anesi Ikhianosime have certainly written their

names in the sands of time in the mobile applications development industry.

Osine Ikhianosime and Anesi Ikhianosime born of same parents co-developed 

‘Crocodile Browser’ at ages 13 and 15 respectively whilst still schooling in Nigeria. 

They developed passion for technology at very tender ages and their parents 

supported them, their school had a structure that supported the use of 

technology. Reading the story of this young entrepreneurs (as they are the 

founders and owners of BluDoors the trademark company behind Crocodile 

Browser), I discovered that the synergy between the home and school played a 

major role in instilling the discipline in them that had made them who they now 

are.

2.   SEYI TAYLOR

Born 37 years ago and one of Nigeria’s greatest young minds, a technology, design and branding specialist, Chief Creative Officer of his sole owned Noah69 Company, and also owns an online advertising service based in Lagos by the name Bloovue. Though a medical doctor by training, his passion lies with the IT sector. He is one of the National winners of the 2007 International Young Design Entrepreneur Award.

3.   JASON NJOKU

The self-acclaimed ‘Igbo-Kong Fu Smurai Warrior Geek’ has doubtless proven to be one. He is the founder of the Nigerian version of Netflix – iROKOtv.com which, not too long ago got funding worth $8million from Tiger global. He is also the founder of iROKING.com a music streaming service and IROKO partners.

4.   FRANCES ONWUMERE

He is a Web and Mobile Applications Developer at his Co-Founded Digital Craft Studios and the Co-Founder of Prowork, a team collaboration web application. He took part in the organization a major Hackathon – Garag48 and Developer relations at Startup Weekend. Francis studied at University of Nigeria.

5.   OLUWASEUN OSEWA

Definitely Nigeria’s Internet Legend. He is the owner of Nairaland.com, Nigeria’s premier forum which, till today, remains the most used and visited forum in Nigeria. He describes himself as a professional Website Administrator and the one that runs the popular Nairaland. And he runs a personal blog that goes by his name seunosewa.com.

6.   AHMAD MUKOSHY

The 27 years old has been a Web developer since the age of 14. He has so many works to his credit but to mention a few will be yrn.me – url shortner, yarnable.com – twitter like social network (sold to MobiQue), clickbit – online javascript game, and recently GigaLayer – a web hosting company (formerly aimtech). He has been in the frontline of web development in Nigeria and participated in notable events such as the Garag48, which saw the launch of flippii.com – another social network based on ideas. And all these he did before his youth service.

Credits: connectnigeria.com , vanguardngr.com

These are to mention but a few.

Now, there is no story anywhere, either written by them or any other person that says they brokered a deal with the government for support or any form of “providing the needed infrastructure or enabling environment” for them to do their businesses and harness their passion into productive ventures and enterprises. That spirit is what I believe will get Nigeria out of the doldrums into limelight among the committee of nations.

Well, waiting for the government to provide us with staples has so far kept us marking time how about we stepped out and/or give our young kids the opportunity to do so? You know, only madness would expect to get a different result doing the same thing.

IT has all it takes to secure your children’s future. Don’t play down on their on their attachment to gadgets when you discover one. Don’t overlook their tech-savviness, help them harness it. Don’t ignore their curiosity; help them find their path for there is world of information at their disposal.

At K-Koders that’s what we do, giving children a sense direction in computing by unraveling the world of possibilities with computing and allow them make informed decisions as to their passion and career path in the future.