The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is set to unveil 12 new Model Smart Schools across Nigeria, according to an announcement by Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC. This initiative is part of the commission’s ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of basic education in the country.
During an interactive session with stakeholders of the UBE Smart Schools Programme at the Digital Resource Center Complex in Abuja, Prof. Bashir Galadanci, who represented Dr. Bobboyi, highlighted the importance of the meeting. The discussion focused on the planned launch of the 12 new smart schools, scheduled to commence in September 2024. Prof. Galadanci emphasized the benefits that the smart school initiative is expected to bring, expressing optimism about the productive dialogue among stakeholders.
Dr. Hafsat Lawal Kontagora, head of the Capacity Development unit at the UBEC Digital Resource Center, spoke about the commission’s goal of revolutionizing the basic education sector. She explained that the introduction of progressive teaching methods, such as blended learning, in these Smart Schools would gradually replace traditional educational approaches. Dr. Hafsat also called for valuable input from stakeholders to ensure that the schools are fully prepared for their launch.
The stakeholders in attendance included directors from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), desk officers overseeing smart schools in various states, UBEC state coordinators, and zonal directors.
UBEC has already built 37 UBE Model Smart Schools, with one in each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). To date, 14 of these smart schools are fully operational. The launch of the additional 12 schools in September 2024 will increase the number of functioning Smart Schools in Nigeria to 26.
