The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has bemoaned the increasing number of students using the free government-provided tablets to watch explicit content instead of focusing on their academic studies.
The devices were meant to ease academic burden on students and enhance digital learning while bridging the educational gap across the country.
While addressing Parliament today November 27, the minister stated that over 1.3 million tablets are anticipated for nationwide distribution, with nearly 980,000 already allocated to schools.
He stated that the tablets are designed to provide students with access to educational resources, including curricular information which have been installed onto the devices.
He emphasized that the devices have not been configured to align with its intended educational purpose, allowing learners to engage in activities that are not related to their academic pursuits.
“I inherited a contract valued at approximately 337 million US dollars that called for the distribution of 1.3 million tablets to all public senior high schools nationwide so that students could have access to digital resources.” He stated, “I’ve been informed that the deployment of that is approximately 980,000.
He remarked, “Mr. Speaker, I have observed that numerous devices are not programmed, leading students to utilize them for various unintended purposes, including the consumption of pornography, which is wholly unacceptable.”
The Minister underscored the government’s serious approach to the matter.
“Mr Speaker, the government is taking a high view of it, and there must be restrictions as to what the tablets can be used for, and they should be used strictly for the purpose of study,” he said.
