ENHANCING EDUCATIONAL PARTICIPATION OF PASTORAL NOMADS THROUGH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The establishment of the Nigerian National Commission for Nomadic Education in 1989 has given wider opportunities for nomads living in Nigeria to acquire education. This commission was struck to address low literacy rates among pastoral nomads and migrant fishermen, which put literacy rates at 0.28 percent and 20 percent respectively (FME, 2005 in Aderinoye, et al, 2007). To improve the literacy rate among Nigeria’s nomadic populations, the National Commission for Nomadic Education employed various approaches such as onsite schools, ‘shift system’ schools with alternative intake, and Islamiyya (Islamic) schools, to provide literacy education to its nomads. A review of these approaches by the commission, however, shows that very few of the schools were actually viable. Thus, there remains a need for alternative approaches to educational delivery. In the face of advancement in technology, there is now opportunity to embrace information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Nigeria to enhance the literacy rates among Nigeria’s nomadic people. Indeed, mobile telephones with simple text messaging features, for example, and radio sets are prevalent in many parts of Nigeria. This paper explores the needs of integrating ICT (particularly mobile learning and radio literacy) into Nomadic Education programmes in Nigeria to ensure a successful implementation and achievement of the goals of the programme.