UNESCO Seeks Osun’s Permission to Adopt, Reproduce Opon Imo

The United‎ Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has approached the government of the state of Osun seeking to adopt the e-learning device created by the Rauf Aregbesola administration, Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge).

UNESCO, in a letter directed to the Osun Commissioner for Education and signed by Prof. Hassana Alidou, Director and Representative UNESCO’s Regional Office in Abuja said the organisation is impressed by the components of the Osun e-learning project.

UNESCO also requested permission to reproduce and adapt the educational learning resource material and content of Opon-Imo to promote its educational programmes in Nigeria.
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The organisation added that it was fascinated by the three major content categories of the e-library, the integrated test zone, the virtual class room containing 63 books covering civic education, Ifa on ethics and morals among others in Opon-Imo.

The United Nation’s organisation held that the concept and educational contents of Opon-Imo is in line with UNESCO’s objective to promote open access to quality education in the country.

According to UNESCO in the letter of request, “as you may be aware, UNESCO is a specialised Agency of the United Nations with a broad mandate in promoting education, science, culture, communication and information.

“The concept and education content of Opon-Imo is in line with UNESCO objective to promote open access to scientific information, open educational resources and open training platform as well as open distance learning.

“We acknowledge that the Opon-Imo was designed to enhance students’ access to knowledge, sexuality education and entrepreneurship, all of which are within the scope of UNESCO’s educational programme activities in Nigeria.”

The organisation also pointed out that it will partner with Osun, noting that the government of Osun will be officially acknowledged by UNESCO and other users as the major source of the e-learning resource materials wherever they are used.

Opon Imo [Tablet of Knowledge], the innovative education tool by Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration, has bagged several international awards.

Opon Imo was selected as the best in innovative category in the e-learning and science category of the United Nations-backed World Summit Awards (WSA), among many other awards.

The letter, which was sighted by CityMirrorNews on Friday in Osogbo was dated November 15, 2014.