By Edith Tsokar
15 Federal and State Colleges of Education have received Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment donated by the Government of Japan to strengthen teacher training and advance digital transformation in Nigeria’s education sector.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the handover ceremony of the equipment donated through the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA).
Ahmad said the intervention would be complemented by training on safe learning environments and infrastructure security in line with the Federal Ministry of Education’s priorities.
The minister commended UNESCO, the Government of Japan, the African Union and other development partners for supporting teacher education and expanding access to quality education in West Africa.
She recalled that the project, launched in March 2024, was designed to strengthen teacher-training institutions and improve equitable access to education, particularly for girls, in six African countries.
According to her, the beneficiary countries are Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria.
Ahmad said the initiative aligned with the ministry’s priorities on equity, quality, digital transformation and inclusive education.
“Teachers remain the backbone of every education system. No education reform can succeed without well-trained, motivated and empowered teachers,” she said.
She said the ICT equipment would strengthen institutional capacity through access to modern technology, improve digital learning opportunities, promote pedagogical innovation and support learner-centred teaching methods.
The minister said 15 teacher-training institutions across the six geopolitical zones were selected to benefit from the intervention.
She said the donated items included 55 laptop computers with carrying cases, 71 tablets, four desktop computers, five interactive smart boards, 90 all-in-one desktop computers, 14 projectors, 15 printers and 15 backup hard drives.
According to her, the facilities will enhance teaching and learning and contribute to the development of digitally competent teachers nationwide.
Ahmad urged the beneficiary institutions to ensure the effective and sustainable use of the equipment, noting that learners remained the ultimate beneficiaries of improved teacher capacity and digital competence.
She also described safe schools as critical to achieving quality education, particularly for young and vulnerable learners, and called for sustained efforts to provide secure, inclusive and conducive learning environments.
The minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promoting teacher quality, digital literacy, inclusive education and institutional capacity development.
She added that partnerships with international organisations and development partners remained essential to advancing educational development in Nigeria.
Ahmad urged the institutions to utilise the resources responsibly to improve teacher training, enhance learning outcomes and strengthen the education system’s capacity to meet 21st-century demand.
Also, the Director, Colleges of Education Department in the ministry, Dr Uchenna Uba, described the initiative as a collaborative effort aimed at improving teacher education and expanding access to quality learning opportunities.
“Today’s ceremony reflects a collective commitment to strengthening teacher education, fostering innovation in teaching and learning, and ensuring equal access to quality education for all, especially girls,” she said.
Uba said that the provision of digital resources in the colleges would improve access to educational materials, enhance classroom instruction and build teachers’ digital skills.
“Every economy in the 21st century demands innovation, digitalisation, and technology-driven teaching approaches.
“The deployment of laptops, tablets, desktop computers, smart boards, projectors, printers and other digital resources to these institutions will undoubtedly enhance the teaching and learning process,” she added.
Also speaking, the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan, Mr Hitoshi Kozaki, expressed satisfaction with the growing partnership between Nigeria and Japan in the education sector and other areas of development.
Kozaki expressed confidence that the donated equipment would significantly enhance teacher education and improve learning outcomes.
On his part, the Director of UNESCO-IICBA, Dr Quentin Wodon, praised the intervention, saying it would contribute meaningfully to the transformation of teacher education, particularly in advancing girl-child education.
The Deputy Provost, FCT College of Education, Zuba, Dr Adegbemisola Olotu, explained that the equipment would benefit lecturers, students, and non-academic staff through blended learning and other digital activities already running in the college.
The beneficiary institutions are Federal College of Education, Kontagora; Federal College of Education, Zaria; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe; Federal College of Education, Yola and Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba.
Others are Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo; Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze; College of Education, Zuba; Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education; Enugu State College of Education (Technical).
In the list are also Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano; Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu; Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto; Adamawa State College of Education, Hong; and Taraba State College of Education, Zing.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
