By Angela Atabo

The Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi), an NGO, has unveiled a Center for Digital Development and Innovation Research (CDDIR) in Abuja.

The Executive Director of AREAi, Mr Gideon Olanrewaju, said during the inauguration, that the initiative was to harness digital technologies in enhancing education and development in Nigeria.

Olanrewaju said that the centre would provide access to digital tools and information for marginalised communities, and empower individuals through digital skills training and employment opportunities.

This, according to him, will promote inclusive and equitable access to education, through online and offline digital technologies.

“It will also advance gender equality and women’s empowerment through digital innovations and research.”

He added that the vision of the centre was evidence-based research; where decisions would be informed by rigorous data; and where knowledge would be created with the communities the centre intends to serve.

Also, the organisation’s Director of Programmes, Ms Edidiong Simeon, said the centre would create a cluster of digital innovation, expertise, and skills development.

This, she said, would ensure consistent use of evidence to inform policy formulation, resource allocation, and programme implementation for digital education.

“We seek to develop digital transformation initiatives in close cooperation with the industry and academia.

“This is part of our commitment to preparing students and professionals for the integration and application of digital technologies for the advancement of learning and teaching.

“We will also leverage structured data, contextualised applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and geospatial data to achieve a digitally competent society, where all people use knowledge and skills in digital technologies to improve their livelihoods,” Simeon said.

She said that the organisation’s support would also entail designing government-led capacity development initiatives towards realising the digital capacities of Information and Communication Technology professionals.

“This will boost digital literacy and skills of citizens, thereby, developing knowledge resources that enable digital transformation from the grassroots.

AREAi’s, Digital Communications Officer, Mr Omoniyi Lawson, said CDDIR would work across four components to achieve the desired goals.

Lawson identified the components as design research for digital innovation; digital research and capacity development for digital transformation; digital learning design and assessment and digital technology appropriation in education.

“These components are crucial to achieving the mandate of the centre and making the desired impact,” he said.

On her part, Ms Bertha Agbendeh, Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning, said that the centre’s innovation research would revolve around generation and use of data, evidence and analytics.

This, Agbendeh said, would help clients, such as governments and international NGOs, education service providers, local institutions, state ministries and other stakeholders to understand and analyse complex digital challenges.

“Primarily, we will provide experienced field officers with all the equipment and local knowledge, to ensure high-quality primary data collection that relies on indigenous knowledge systems and rigorous techniques.

“This will provide the needed context-relevant evidence for solutions either to known, or sometimes, undefined needs.

“The measure will enable us to develop new digital products and services that will radically make a difference to children, families, organisations and governments.” (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai