The Nigerian state of Osun has unveiled a smart ID card with biometric features for all public school students, starting with the Salvation Army School, Alekuwodo, Oshogbo, Osun State.

The card is linked back to a central database that provides the government of the State of Osun with accurate and reliable data on the identity and number students attending public schools in the state.

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, governor, State of Osun said, “In the history of human inventions, there are not too many inventions that are as useful as technology in terms of its efficiency and effectiveness at providing solutions to human problems.

“This is the reason why the government of the State of Osun adopted and is deploying technology as the solution to the legacy of inefficiency bequeathed to the civil service by past inept leaders.

“The Osun Student Smart ID card which is embedded with biometric features is also an ingenious technology solution that we have adopted to further raise the service delivery levels in the education sector.”

Aregbesola added that with the card, each student is a unique and identifiable individual and avoids mistakes as well as manage schools programmes more effectively.

Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, deputy governor, State of Osun, who doubles as the commissioner for Education said: “This is indeed a significant milestone for the State of Osun because without accurate data, a holistic transformation of the education sector in Osun may remain elusive.

“Issuance of smart identity cards to all public school students will ensure that we have accurate data for use in updating our education strategy and sustain our pragmatic work-plan to ensure overall policy success. In no small measure, the smart identity card will also ensure accountability to government by students of public school as it makes it possible for schools to track attendance.”

Demola Aladekomo, managing director, Chams Plc said, “The Osun Smart ID card provides biographical and biometric identification of public school children from elementary schools to middle schools and high schools, equipping government reliable demographic data of the student population in the State.

“This certainly improves planning, distribution and allocation of educational resources in alignment with population size, and the unique needs of students and schools across the 30 local government areas of the state. It will also aid the judicious use of government resources and improve budgeting, while also providing accurate data that will lead to the enunciation of more transformative policies.”

Full deployment of the Osun School Smart ID Card scheme points to the government of the State of Osun’s commitment to its 2011 education policy which sought an integrative and ICT enabled approach to the education of children and youth in the State.