The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says digital learning and artificial intelligence (AI) can help reintegrate Nigeria's out-of-school children. Harold Kpojime, UNICEF Education Specialist, made the recommendation during a two-day media dialogue on digital learning and skills development for out-of-school children. The event was held in partnership with the Osun State Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Journalists from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Edo states attended.
Kpojime said digital learning does not require formal classrooms and can reach children through smartphones, tablets and online platforms. He cited UNICEF's Nigeria Learning Passport as a tool providing access to educational resources for both learners and teachers. Internet connectivity, digital devices and trained facilitators are necessary for effective implementation, he noted. He added that AI can improve content delivery, teacher training and skill acquisition.
Many street children who have never attended school can be engaged through videos, animations and interactive content, Kpojime said. He recalled visiting a school with digital infrastructure where teachers could not use the available technology due to lack of digital literacy. Training educators to use digital tools and the Learning Passport enables remote access to materials. He said digital content has increased learner attention and classroom participation.
Blessing Ejiofor, UNICEF Communications Officer at the Lagos Field Office, said media coverage of out-of-school children is reactive rather than consistent. She spoke on "How to Cover AI and Skills Development for Out-of-School Children." "We react. We don't track. A school collapses and it is big news for two days, then it disappears. Meanwhile, 18 million children are still out of school and nobody is counting," she said.
Harold Kpojime says teachers need training to use digital tools, yet UNICEF's own event included journalists without verified teaching experience. The focus on AI and digital platforms does nothing for children without internet or devices. Blessing Ejiofor criticises media for not tracking the 18 million out-of-school children, but offered no data on how many were reached by the workshop.
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