Digital

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

No fewer than three million children have benefitted from the multimedia digital education initiative of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)

Executive Secretary, UBEC, Aisha Garba, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the closing ceremony of KOICA Education Project in Nigeria.

Garba said, 420,009 library materials and158,000 Nigerian history books had also been distributed through the initiative which commenced in 2021.

She said the project, designed to address critical gaps in Nigeria’s education system, has greatly redefined the landscape of basic education in Nigeria, through technology, innovative teaching, and inclusive learning.

Specifically, Garba said the project was designed to address the alarming figure of over 10 million out-of-school children and the lack of digital literacy among more than 60 per cent of public primary school teachers.

According to her, under the collaboration, UBEC and KOICA developed Nigeria’s first Smart Education Master Plan and trained over 300 teachers and school leaders.

She added that the collaboration also established six state-of-the-art content development studios, and produced nearly 4,000 digital learning resources in Mathematics and Science.

Garba recalled that when the project began in 2021, they were confronted with sobering realities.

According to her, over 10.1 million school-age children were out-of-school while 70 per cent of those enrolled lacked foundational learning skills.

She added that more than 60 per cent of public primary school teachers did not possess basic digital literacy.

“With the staggering figure and daunting statistics, we saw not just problems, but possibilities.

“We saw possibilities to reimagine learning, bridge the digital divide, and empower our schools and teachers to become catalysts for lasting transformation,’’ she said.

Garba added that, KOICA, through the initiative, supported six of UBEC’s 37 Universal Basic Education Model Smart Schools, but the ripple effect had reached over 8,000 learners in 21 states.

“Although KOICA focus is in six smart schools, the outcome of the project has reached over 8,000 learners in 21 states where the smart schools are fully operational,” she added.

Garba also highlighted recent UBEC reforms that had unlocked access to matching grants for states after 20 years of bottlenecks, enabling more efficient and transparent resource deployment.

The Executive Secretary expressed deep gratitude to KOICA and the Government of the Republic of Korea, affirming UBEC’s commitment to expanding the initiative and ensuring, “no child is left behind.”

“Our vision is a basic education system that is smart, inclusive, and globally competitive, one that builds future-ready citizens,” Garba said.

Earlier, while declaring the event open, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu described the initiative as a model for international cooperation and shared prosperity.

Bagudu, lauded the KOICA initiative for its investment in Nigeria’s basic education, adding that the collaboration had already begun yielding visible results.

“We are grateful to KOICA and the people of South Korea. You have not only built the confidence of our children and parents but also reassured us that Nigeria is not alone on this journey.

“The best way to say thank you is to replicate and sustain this initiative with our own resources,” he said.

The event was attended by top government officials, foreign diplomats, education stakeholders, teachers, and students. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi