By Raphael Jov
In furtherance of its strategy of deploying cutting edge technology to develop and improve the competence of Nigerians seamlessly and at the least cost, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Training Services (STS) has launched an electronic learning (E-learning) platform to train staff of public and private sector organisations across the Nation.
A statement from the office of the Director General, Osita Aboloma Esq. said “in achieving this first of its kind programme in the history of SON, the STS collaborated with a firm of information technology specialists on the E-learning platform”.
Commenting on the development, Head of the STS, Engr. Timothy Abner said the E-learning platform was launched with a pilot training on the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Quality Management Systems (QMS) Standards Appreciation for SON personnel within the Junior staff cadre in selected State offices to validate its effectiveness and capabilities.
Engr. Abner stated that the course was split into four (4) modules with a set of online assignments that is automatically activated at the end of each module. “SON Staff in Oyo, Rivers, Benue, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Plateau and the Director General’s Office in Abuja logged in as early as 10am to undertake the course simultaneously, he said.
“Once launched, the course is taken at the pace of the learner and on completion of a particular module, an assignment for that module pops up automatically”, he said.
Consequently, at the end of the assignment, the next modules are displayed for the candidates to proceed and on completion, examination guidelines and questions are automatically made available to the E-learner, said Engr. Abner.
The Head of the STS disclosed that at the expiry of the time allocated, the system automatically brings the examination to an end, marks the script with scores allocated and results displayed. Successful candidates’ certificates are issued by the system and each E-learner will be free to download at that point, he said.
According to Abner, “this system of training is envisaged to have a far reaching effect on the Nation’s staff competence development as appropriate modular courses will be made available to those who need them.
He stated that the resource requirements for the e-learning tool are an internet enabled device, adequate data subscription and power supply.”
Every other back-up role according to him will be performed at the STS E-learning office as the IT personnel would always be available to give support which is part of the requirements for offering the service.
Engr. Abner disclosed that 80% of the enrollees completed the process without hitches and were issued their certificates at the end of the pilot training.
Aboloma then enjoined all organisations in the public and private sectors in Nigeria to take advantage of the SON E-learning platform to further develop their staff capacity seamlessly and at relatively low costs, particularly in the ISO Management Systems Standards trainings.
