In view of the current security situation in the country especially in the Northern part where bandits have shifted their attention to kidnapping of students from their schools, Africa representative and Director of Studies, Triune Biblical University, United States of America Global Extension, Dr. Maurice Azubuike Odiete has called on the Nigeria Federal Government to place more emphases on online education in the country.

Dr Azubuike Odiete said it has become a thing of absolute necessity for the Federal Government to encourage schools at the Federal and State level to shift their attention to online education rather than outright closures of the schools as been muted by some of the state governors because of the fear of the bandits.

The University Don whose Organization just last week signed a memorandum of Understanding with the Lagos state University applauded the development stressing that the collaboration would go a long way in addressing the online educational challenges in the country.

“The Signing of the MoU and Collaboration between the Lagos State University and TBU-Global Extension, USA is really a Welcome development and absolutely a blessing to NIPEM INTL.

“The NIPEM PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION MANAGEMENT Intl had been the Major Representative of TBU-Global Extension USA in Africa and has been able to produce over 1000 Students in the last three years.

“Today you can see some of NIPEM INTL staffs that are present here who also doubles as a TBU-Global Extension' Staffs and delegates to this amazing event, amongst whom are; Dr Ben Udoka Odiete, Engr. (Dr) Olutimo Oluremi Stephen, Pst Pius Onaghise, Dr Adesina Kazeem, Dr Festus Ibiam, Dr Valentine Uche Ojika, Professor Valentine Iheukwumere, Dr Olufowobi Taofik.

“This partnership and collaboration will enable NIPEM PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION MANAGEMENT Intl no doubt achieve her primary Objective of providing Sustainable, Accessible, Affordable and Mass Education to Nigeria and Africa Society at large,” he said.

Speaking for the Lagos state University, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oyedamola Oke advised school managers, particularly, those at the tertiary education level to intensify efforts at embracing the online teaching and learning system.

He said this will enable the nation’s educational system move in the direction of a globally acceptable system of education based on ICT.

The Prof stated further that the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic was an eye opener for many institutions of learning in Nigeria and elsewhere around the world that teaching and learning had to take a new dimension since the gathering of large number of people in a spot was not feasible during the total lockdown.

He explained that with the reality on ground, it was obvious that the only option left for any institution was to adopt the online system of teaching and learning.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor LASU, stressed that with online system of teaching and learning, more people would have access to education irrespective of their location as long as they had mobile phones that were connected to the internet.

Prof. Oke noted that the era of restricting teaching and learning strictly to the four walls of a classroom was fast losing its place in the face of the New Normal as online classroom were now been created by educational institutions across the world to reach out to more students.