FCT-SEB Urges Students to Verify Online Information Amid AI, Misinformation Concerns

The Federal Capital Territory Secondary Education Board (FCT-SEB) has called upon students to cultivate the habit of deep reading, critical thinking, and verification of information, as concerns over misinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) continue to rise. During a recent essay and spelling bee competition held in Abuja for students of FCT secondary schools, the board emphasized the importance of these skills in the digital age, where students have access to an overwhelming amount of information through various digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok.

The competition's theme, 'Read. Think, Verify: Building Critical Information Literacy in the Digital Age,' was deemed timely by the board, given the abundance of misinformation, falsehoods, and distorted narratives that students are exposed to. Mrs. Theresa Onuora-Oguno, representing the Acting Secretary/Director of the FCT-SEB, urged students to move away from "shallow scrolling" and to distinguish between fact and opinion, keeping in mind the motives behind the information they encounter.

She highlighted the importance of verification, especially in the era of AI-generated images and cloned voices, and encouraged students to verify information before sharing or commenting on it. Onuora-Oguno emphasized that mastering the three principles of reading, thinking, and verifying would not only make students information-literate but also responsible citizens capable of discerning truth from falsehood.

The competition was organized as part of activities marking World Literacy Day by Sahara Deck and Zero Meridian Decks, chapters of the National Association of Seadogs, to encourage students to write, think critically, and develop their speaking and writing abilities. Fifteen students from three schools participated in the essay competition, with prizes of N100,000 for first place, N75,000 for second place, and N50,000 for third place.

The winning essay, titled 'Read. Think, Verify: Building Critical Information Literacy in the Digital Age,' was written by Eze Ugochi Vivian, a student from Government Secondary School, Jabi, who expressed her interest in the topic as it addressed the way people consume information online. She urged organizations to organize more programs on often-overlooked issues that could educate students and encourage them to take societal matters seriously.