OPON IMO: a Great Leapforward at e-Learning System

Writen by Matthew Ujah-Peter 

The Android 4.0 PC Tablet: 'Opo imo'

A major problem plagueing the Nigerian education system is the general low performance in major examibniations such as the West Afriacn Examination Council Senior School Certificate  (WAEC / SSCE), The National Exam Council (NECO) Exams, JAMB, etc. In the bid to stem this problem, the Osun State Government has launched and distributed free-of-charge to its secondary school students a tablet of Knowledge (Opon Imo). Designed in the form of a mini iPad, Opon Imo is a portable touchscreen Android powered e-learning device. 

Osun State students with 'Opon imo'

This is the first of its kind in Nigeria and it is provided by the state government to equip students with knowledge and make it easier for them to pass school leaving certificates examination. It is a standalone, educational, multimedia e-learning content platform that comes with pre-loaded applications for WAEC and JAMB approved text books. The tablet was designed by Harvard University for the state’s exclusive use is a virtual classroom. This innovation is a great leapforward for the state’s effort at e-learning
The Android 4.0 PC Tablet has popularly known as 'Opon Imo' (meaning tablet of knowlegde) provides 3 major content categories; Text Books, Tutorials and Practice Questions which include audio voiceovers and video tutorials. It contains Dictionary, Bible, Koran and Health book. It also has development games such as chess, Sudoku and Tetris. With its 512MB of RAM and an internal storage capacity of 32GB  the tablet is preloaded with lesson notes in 17 subjects offered by students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council (NECO), and Senior School Certificate in Education (SSCE). It also contains six extra-curricular subjects, including sexuality education, Yoruba history and Yoruba traditional religion.The current version of Opon Imo has Internet deactivated to prevent the distraction this may cause to students at this level of education.

The launch of a digital tablet of knowledge known as Ópon Imo’ by the Osun State government will boost learning from the old traditional method to digital learning across schools in the state, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori, has said at the launch of thje device in Lagos.

Mrs. Laoye-Tomori the Commissioner for Education in the state, revealed that the launch of ‘Opn Imo’ would save the state over N8.4 billion annually on conventional books which will now be distributed online to schools, via ‘Opon Imo’.She said over 40,000 past examination questions spanning a period of 10 years for private simulation practice, are all embedded in the digital tablet.

The gonernor and guests holding Opon imo at unvailing event

The state has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm to establish a factory in Oshogbo , the state capital to mass produce the digital tablet. She explained that the state government was challenged by the low level of education in the state, which had lingered during past administrations in the state.

The device was first unvailed at the Zainabab Half Moon Resort, Ilesa, on the 3rd of June, 2013. Dignitaries who graced the occasion  include former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; a  former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai; retired General Alani Akinrinade; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, among others.

In his address, and speech entitled:“Opon-Imo Enters the Stage'', The Executive Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola  said Africans would no longer accept the tag of a continent without hope or future, insisting that with the launch of Opon Imo, Nigeria and indeed the entire black continent has sent a signal of its arrival on the world stage of development.

With the laucnch of this innovative device with it attending benefits and with the presence of the dignitaries at the unvailing, it is hoped that this gesture will be replicated all through out the country and indeed through out the continent.