Laoye-Tomori who doubles as the Commissioner for Education in the state, revealed that the launch of ‘Opn Imo’ would save the state over N8.4 billion annually on conventional books that will be distributed online to schools, via ‘Opon Imo’.
The tablet is preloaded with lesson notes in 17 subjects offered by students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council (NECO), and Senior School Certificate in Education (SSCE). It also contains six extra-curricular subjects, including sexuality education, Yoruba history and Yoruba traditional religion.
Addressing journalists at the launch the deputy governor said “the digital school tablet is an indigenous Computer Programmed Instructor (CPI) with locally produced content and designed for the Nigerian secondary education system.”
She explained that the ‘Opon Imo’ was developed out of the need to develop an efficient knowledge economy and the state's desire to build knowledge based society.
“In common place with global practice, the administration has taken concrete steps towards ensuring that our students are Information and Communication Technology (ICT) compliant both for learning and self-development, she said”.
She said over 40,000 past examination questions spanning a period of 10 years for private simulation practice, are all embedded in the digital tablet.
According to her, the facility comes with 63 e-text books, covering 17 subjects that students do register for in examinations.
Apart from the e-text books that are embedded in the tablet, it also has 51 video tutorials installed as study aid.
She explained that tablet would make teaching and learning exciting to teachers and the students in the state, adding that the e-books that are embedded in the tablet will remove the burden of the prohibitive costs of conventional textbooks and will afford the students, easy access to knowledge necessary for brilliant performances in various examinations.
The state has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm to establish a factory in Oshogbo , the state capital to mass produce the digital tablet.
She explained that the state government was challenged by the low level of education in the state, which had lingered during past administrations in the state.
“The present state government, led by Rauf Aregbesola, met the educational system of the state in a near collapsed state, and will do everything to revamp the standard of education in the state, Laoye-Tomori said.
