The FG Has Launched Free E-learning Portals for Primary and Secondary School Students
The Federal Government has taken steps to ensure that primary and secondary school students can continue their education by launching free e-learning portals. This initiative comes as a response to the nationwide closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, announced that all students in Nigeria will have access to two e-learning portals: schoolgate.ng and the mobileclassroom.com.ng App.
Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba highlighted, “These e-learning platforms have been declared subscription-free for Nigerian students in primary and secondary levels during the period of this lockdown as necessitated by COVID-19 pandemic.”
Mobile Classroom is a locally developed mobile application that facilitates audio-visual learning through devices such as phones and computers.
Previously, the platform had provided all Nigerian students with free access to its online portal without requiring a subscription during the suspension of academic activities in schools nationwide.
According to Nwajiuba, the timetable for online classes in states that have adopted the program is available on the platforms and can also be accessed on the Federal Ministry of Education website.
The Federal Government, in collaboration with telecommunication sectors and network providers, is working to provide students with free access to the portals on their mobile phones.
Online learning is being coordinated by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in conjunction with the States Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).
The Minister of State for Education also mentioned that Airtel Nigeria network users can already browse these e-learning platforms for free, while other telecom service providers like MTN, Glo, and 9mobile are making technical adjustments to accommodate this free access.
He explained, “Online classes are conducted in the same way as offline classes; you can download and learn at your own pace. They can also be real-time if you are on the same wave and time when it is being taught.”