The Director General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has urged stakeholders in the education sector to ensure that the curriculum of schools reflect what is needed to prepare the workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Abdullahi said this at the National Olympiad Award Ceremony organised by the National Mathematical Centre (NMC) in Abuja, where over 90 students from secondary schools across the federation who have performed exceptionally well in mathematics, were recognized and awarded.
Represented by Director, Corporate Planning Strategy Dr Agu Collins Agu, Mallam Abdullahi opined that it is important to review the curriculum of primary and secondary schools to have subjects that will help in inculcating future workforce and prerequisite skills needed to thrive in the 4IR by providing mathematical toolkits to the students.
He noted that the greatest achievement of man was achieved through mathematics, adding that Technologies like computers, Big Data Analytics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence etc, are innovations derived from mathematics.
He said that the continuous pursuit of the process will help to demystify mathematics, train and mentor more students in the subject.
He donated the Inclusive Digital Economy Toolkit on behalf of the Agency to NMC. It is a mother board designed in Nigeria to drive Smart City, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence etc.
He further encouraged the NMC to collaborate with the Agency in the area of Research and Development (R&D) in order to make a quantum leap in Technology and Innovation ecosystem.
The National Mathematical Centre revealed that the award ceremony was aimed at encouraging more students to take on mathematics and own it. It mentioned that many students have been beneficiaries and are studying in various institutions across the world.