Lagos State Plans to Upgrade School Curriculum with AI Integration

The Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, led by Permanent Secretary Mr. Abolaji Abayomi, is set to enhance its school curriculum by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The announcement was made on Friday at the Education Resource Center in Ojodu, Lagos, during an award ceremony for students who have excelled in using the Darsel App, a technology-based platform for solving mathematics problems in Lagos State public schools.

Abayomi highlighted the state’s commitment to improving teaching and learning experiences, particularly in mathematics. He encouraged students and teachers to use AI platforms to develop their skills further. “The world has provided better platforms through science and technology to achieve future goals. Lagos is happy to partner with such initiatives that will further boost the learning and teaching process,” he stated.

The Darsel App, which has been integrated into Lagos public secondary schools, has seen significant use, with over 10,000 students across 100 schools in six educational districts using the platform. The app’s usage has been credited with improved learning outcomes in mathematics over the past 15 months, with students solving about five million math questions within the 2023/2024 academic calendar year.

The Lagos State Government aims to expand the app’s reach to include Junior Secondary School (JSS) levels 1 to 3, extending beyond the current JSS 3 coverage. Mrs. Wunmi Tolu-Alalade, the implementation partner for Darsel in Nigeria, noted that the app has positively impacted students’ learning experiences, enabling them to practice mathematics more effectively while providing teachers with valuable feedback to address students’ weak points.

During the award ceremony, six educational district champions were recognized, and three outstanding students from Gbara Community Secondary School, Jakande, were honored as the state’s overall top performers. Teachers and students commended Lagos State for its partnership with Darsel, although they identified challenges such as the availability of Android phones, especially in boarding schools, and a lack of awareness among parents.