Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the First Lady of Lagos State, urges stakeholders in the education sector to consistently explore ways to leverage technology to improve education.

She makes this call through her representative, Oluwakemi Omiyale, at a spelling bee competition hosted by Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative in Lagos, an event which celebrates International Literacy Day (ILD), emphasizing the importance of literacy in building a better future.

Sanwo-Olu stresses the need to harness technology to enhance the teaching and learning process as this is critical to securing the future of children and young people.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the education sector, prompting the state government to innovate. Initiatives were launched to provide students with access to educational content on radio, television, and digital media.

Sanwo-Olu also highlights her husband’s government efforts, including the Educators’ Webinar Series, a program which aims to equip post-primary school teachers with adaptive and resilient skills with the goal of scaling up digital and online teaching of which Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative’s focus aligns with this objective.

The International Literacy Day 2021 theme centers around literacy’s role in human-centered recovery. This includes narrowing the digital divide and promoting digital skills.

Comfort Alli, president of Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative, notes significant literacy gaps in Nigeria.The organization aims to bridge these gaps, especially in primary schools. A spelling competition is organized to improve reading culture among children, and eight primary schools participate, with six competing after approval from the state’s ministry of education.

The competition’s winner receives educational support and a grand prize.