The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is seeking the permission of the Osun state government to adopt and reproduce Opon Imo, the e-learning device created by the Rauf Aregbesola administration.
The organisation said it would like to adapt the educational learning resources and content of Opon-Imo to promote it’s educational programmes in Nigeria.
In a letter dated November 15, 2014, UNESCO wrote the Osun Commissioner for Education saying that it was impressed by the components of the e-learning project which includes 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.
According to UNESCO, the concept of Opon-Imo was in line with the organisation’s objective to promote open access to quality education in the country.
The letter of request reads in part: “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.”
According to the Osun Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, “Opon Imo was selected as the best in innovative category in the e-learning and science category of the awards of United Nations backed World Summit Awards (WSA) among many other awards”.