Three major student unions have called for the nationwide expansion of the Electronic Education Initiative (E-DON), urging education regulators and tertiary institution leaders to make digital interactive learning more widely available to students.
The National Association of University Students (NAUS), National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES) and National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) made the demand at a joint world press conference at the weekend.
The unions commended the implementation of E-DON in Colleges of Education, describing the initiative as a platform with the potential to strengthen technology-driven teaching and expose Nigerian students to global academic resources.
They called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Committee of Vice-Chancellors to adopt the initiative across universities, while urging the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Committee of Rectors to extend it to polytechnics.
The unions also proposed that at least one lecture hall in every department of every tertiary institution be equipped with the E-DON system to broaden access to interactive digital learning.
According to the student leaders, wider deployment would enable students to participate in virtual live lectures and academic exchanges with partner institutions around the world, while giving lecturers access to modern teaching tools.
They said the initiative had already demonstrated its potential across Colleges of Education in different geopolitical zones and commended the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr Angela Ajala, the Committee of Provosts and other stakeholders for supporting its implementation.
The unions said expanding E-DON beyond Colleges of Education would strengthen Nigeria’s digital education ecosystem and help institutions gradually integrate technology into conventional classroom teaching.
E-DON promotes indigenous educational technology and interactive learning through tools such as 3D animation simulation software and QR-enabled interactive Smartboards.
The student bodies also raised concerns over recurring industrial disputes in state-owned tertiary institutions, urging state governors to resolve outstanding issues involving the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
They said prolonged strikes disrupt academic calendars, delay students’ graduation and undermine the stability of the tertiary education system.
The unions further commended the Minister of Education for what they described as efforts to reposition the sector, while stressing that investment in digital infrastructure should remain part of broader efforts to modernise tertiary education.
They argued that sustained adoption of educational technology would help institutions create learning environments that better prepare Nigerian students for an increasingly digital global economy.
