Stakeholders have lauded the Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Comdre Duja Emmanuel Effedua (retd) for digital transformation of the premier Maritime institution in Akwa Ibom state.
Delivering a Lecture last weekend as part of activities to mark the 2023 Cadet Graduation at the Academy on the topic: Digitalization in the Maritime Industry And the Prospects/Challenges For Skilled Maritime Workforce Dr Kevin Okonna disclosed that the Academy has undergone digitalization transformation in the last three years.
Okonna maintained that the institution was the first to embark on online lectures during the covid 19 pandemic the Rector Comdre Dejua Effedua (retrd ) had already laid a foundation for digitalization.
” During the covid 19 pandemic exams were conducted online, we had a good ICT so the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t disturb the academic session because before now, there were online lectures for distance learning with Nautical Institute and IMarEst, both in the UK and every student has a laptop.
Okonna explained that the present administration of the Rector Dejua Effedua has carefully implemented transformation in Maritime Education and Training within the Academy.
He listed challenges of Digitalization in the Maritime Industry to include perception of cost risks, concerns about data sharing, and cyber security such as fear of attack on critical infrastructure which could be devastating to business operations.
He appreciated the management of the institution by downplaying the digitalization challenges and harnessing them for the benefit of graduating cadets.
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He said the Institution has achieved digitalization through the establishment of a robust ICT Department with relevant facilities, the commissioning of a 40-station ICT centre and employment of relevant staff.
Okonna further disclosed that the digitalization exercise was achieved through issuance of free laptops to all cadets, registration of cadets with NI & IMarEst both in the United Kingdom, Training of Lecturers and relevant staff in Multimedia presentation, teaching pedagogic, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) model courses, Installation of Smartboards with multimedia computer projector, projector and other teaching aids in all classrooms in the Maritime Academy.
He therefore charged the cadets to use all the acquired experiences in the digital technology for their personal advancement.
