Fred Ezeh, Abuja 
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), in partnership with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), has began the review of teacher’s guide to support the teaching of online safety curriculum in Nigerian schools.
The Executive Secretary, NERDC, Prof. Ismail Junaidu, who declared open, the meeting of stakeholders involved in the curriculum review in Abuja, on Monday, said the review was necessary to ensure effective teaching of the curriculum.
Junaidu, who was represented by NERDC Director, Library and Infomatics Centre, Dr. Nnenna Eleri, stressed the importance of the teacher’s guide, to teach and implement the online safety in order to achieve the intended outcomes.
She said: “NERDC has been working with PPDC with support from Google in a project aimed at providing online safety education for Nigerian School children.
“Between December 2018 and May 2019, we have successfully developed an online safety curriculum for teaching of online safety in Nigerian schools. We have equally developed teacher’s guide to support teachers administer the knowledge.”
He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to introduce the curriculum into Nigerian primary and secondary schools in no distant time.
The PPDC Chief Executive Officer, Nkemdikim Ilo, was optimistic that the curriculum would increase the enthusiasm of younger Nigerians and also support them with capacity to build positive online experiences.
Ilo, who was represented by the Communication Lead, PPDC, Mbanan Mku, said the essence of the workshop was to ensure that online safety teachers are properly guided on how best to impact the knowledge.
She explained that the curriculum was designed to ensure that every Nigerian child feel equipped and empowered to make positive decisions when interacting online.
Deputy Director, Policy and Programmes, NERDC, Dr. Grace Ajagun, explained in her remarks, that online safety course was not designed to be a stand alone subject, but would be infused into carrier subjects.
She explained: “We are not increasing the subject on the timetable. We know parents are also worried about the increasing subjects. We have identified other subjects we are going to infuse online safety. It will not only be in computer science but it will also be in computer education and computer literacy.
“The benefit will be enormous. It will increase vast knowledge of children and get them to know the increasing dangers, the use of internet can pose.”