FG scraps data charges for students

…moves to regulate internet access for under-16s

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Federal Government on Thursday unveiled a major digital education intervention that will allow millions of Nigerian students to access approved educational platforms without paying for internet data, in a move aimed at dismantling one of the biggest barriers to technology-driven learning in the country.

The initiative, unveiled by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, under the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria, is designed to make digital learning accessible to children and young people regardless of their economic circumstances or location.

But while announcing the removal of data costs for approved educational content, Alausa also revealed that the government was working towards regulated internet access for children below 16 years, signalling a dual approach of expanding digital access while tightening protection for young users in the online environment.

The minister, who spoke at the launch of the initiative, said the government was determined to ensure that the cost of internet connectivity no longer determined which Nigerian child could access quality educational resources.

According to him, the initiative was not merely about providing connectivity but about ensuring that learning remained within the reach of children who could otherwise be shut out because of the cost of data.

“This initiative goes beyond connectivity. It is about putting learning within reach of children who may otherwise be unable to afford the data required to access it,” Alausa said.

The minister’s announcement comes at a time when Nigeria is battling a huge education deficit, with millions of children out of school and many others struggling with inadequate learning facilities, poor connectivity, unreliable electricity and limited digital literacy.

For the Federal Government, the zero-rating policy is therefore expected to give digital learning a wider reach, particularly among learners in underserved and hard-to-reach communities where conventional educational infrastructure remains inadequate.

Alausa said poverty and geography must no longer determine the educational opportunities available to Nigerian children, arguing that a mobile phone, tablet or computer could effectively become a classroom, library and gateway to opportunities if the financial barrier to accessing educational content was removed.

He said the initiative formed part of the digital transformation component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, being implemented through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.

The minister explained that the Federal Ministry of Education was simultaneously strengthening the infrastructure required to manage a modern education system through initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and Learner Identification Number.

However, he stressed that the success of the government’s digital reforms would not be determined by the number of platforms created or devices deployed, but by whether the interventions actually reached learners and improved educational outcomes.
“The real measure of digital transformation would be its ability to reach the learner and improve the quality of education,” he said.

Nigeria has previously experimented with zero-rated educational platforms, including the Nigeria Learning Passport, developed by the Federal Government, UNICEF and other partners to provide curriculum content to learners and teachers.

UNICEF had reported that data charges were removed for users accessing the Nigeria Learning Passport through whitelisting on an Airtel SIM, while connectivity was also extended to schools in hard-to-reach communities.

The latest initiative, however, signals a broader attempt by the Federal Government to institutionalise zero-rated access to approved educational platforms as digital technology increasingly becomes an important component of teaching and learning.

While the government seeks to throw open the doors of digital education, Alausa said it was equally concerned about the risks children face in the online environment.

He disclosed that plans were underway for regulated internet access for every child below 16 years, citing growing concerns over cyberattacks and other threats associated with children’s increasing exposure to digital platforms.

“At some point, there would be regulated internet access for every child below the age of 16 years as part of measures to strengthen online child protection,” the minister said.

The proposed regulation introduces a new dimension to the government’s digital education strategy, suggesting that greater access to technology must be accompanied by stronger safeguards for children.

Alausa called for sustained collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, the Nigerian Communications Commission, telecommunications operators, technology companies, development partners, educational institutions and teachers to ensure the success of the initiative.

He also challenged stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s digital education drive produced more than technology consumers, saying the country must raise a generation capable of creating technology, innovating and using digital tools to solve societal problems.

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