By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming teacher education through digital technology, following the distribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to 15 Federal and State Colleges of Education across the country.
Speaking during the official handover of the equipment in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, said the intervention is designed to strengthen teacher training, improve digital literacy and expand access to quality education, particularly for girls.
The ICT facilities were provided under a project funded by the Government of Japan through the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (UNESCO-IICBA) through initiative titled, ‘Capacity-building of Teachers to Promote Continuous and Inclusive Access to Safe and Quality Education for Girls in West Africa.’
Professor Ahmad described the programme as a strategic intervention that supports the Federal Ministry of Education’s priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
She explained that the regional project, which also covers Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Mauritania, is focused on strengthening teacher-training institutions while promoting equitable access to education for girls and other vulnerable groups.
Emphasising the importance of teachers in driving educational progress, she said: “Teachers remain the backbone of every education system. No education reform can succeed without well-trained, motivated, and digitally empowered teachers.”
According to the minister, the ICT resources will support both pre-service and in-service teacher training by increasing access to digital learning materials and encouraging innovative teaching practices.
She added that the intervention would improve learning outcomes in beneficiary institutions and help produce teachers equipped with the digital skills required for modern classrooms.
Professor Ahmad also disclosed that consultations on school safety guidelines and infrastructure security were held alongside the handover ceremony to promote secure and inclusive learning environments.
“Safe schools are essential to achieving quality education, especially for girls and vulnerable learners. We must continue to ensure that our institutions remain secure, supportive, and conducive spaces for teaching and learning,” she said.
The minister further highlighted the Federal Ministry of Education’s focus areas, including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), education for out-of-school children, girl-child education, quality assurance, data management and digitalisation.
Earlier, the Director of the Colleges of Education Department and Project Chairperson, 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.
Dr. Uba noted that the provision of digital resources would improve access to educational materials, enhance classroom instruction and build teachers’ digital skills.
“Every economy in the 21st century demands innovation, digitalization, 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,” he added.
She commended the Government of Japan, UNESCO-IICBA, the African Union and other development partners for supporting efforts to promote inclusive and quality education in Nigeria.
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.
He expressed confidence that the donated equipment would significantly enhance teacher education and improve learning outcomes.
Similarly, 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 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).
The list also includes 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.
Items distributed to the institutions include 65 laptop computers with carrying cases, 71 tablets, four desktop computers, five interactive smart boards, 19 all-in-one desktop computers, 14 projectors, 15 printers and 15 backup hard drives.
