The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, has disclosed that more than sixty percent of public primary school teachers in Nigeria lack basic digital literacy skills.
This stark revelation was made during the closing ceremony for the first phase of the Nigeria-Korea Smart Education Project in Abuja.
Garba contextualised the statistic by recalling the daunting challenges the Nigerian education system faced when the initiative began in 2021.
At that time, the country was grappling with over 10.1 million out-of-school children, 70 per cent of enrolled pupils lacking foundational skills, and widespread digital illiteracy among educators. She framed these figures not merely as obstacles, but as critical opportunities to bridge the digital divide and empower the nation’s teachers.
The smart education project is a collaborative effort implemented by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in partnership with UBEC.
It has delivered modern digital learning infrastructure, specialised teacher training, and locally developed educational content to beneficiary schools across Kano, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, praised the respectful and mutually supportive relationship between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea.
He expressed appreciation for KOICA’s various interventions, which align with Nigeria’s federal structure, where education is a shared responsibility.
Project managers emphasised the importance of sustainability and community involvement, announcing that a second phase is expected to begin soon.
This next phase aims to expand the smart school model to 37 institutions nationwide, utilising a blended, student-centred learning approach to boost engagement and improve educational outcomes.
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cc: Guardian NG
