Benue to establish 15 smart schools, 11 technical colleges

• Trains 2,000 teachers on AI

By Scholastica Hir, Makurdi

The Benue State Government has finalised plans to set up 15 pilot SMART schools and 11 technical colleges across the state.

The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Reverend Frederick Ikyaan, revealed this during a press briefing in his office in Makurdi on Wednesday, April 9.

He expressed concern over the infrastructural decay in many public schools, stating that the government aims to build standard model schools as a benchmark for others. “Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration is committed to skills acquisition, which is why we plan to establish 11 technical colleges across the state’s 11 federal constituencies,” Ikyaan said.

He emphasised the importance of technical and vocational education, announcing the relocation of Benue State University Technical School to enhance its visibility and impact. On school census data, Ikyaan noted that digitisation would provide accurate figures for schools, students, and teachers, curbing falsified records like age discrepancies.

Ikyaan clarified that free registration for WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, previously supported by federal palliatives, cannot continue due to funding shortages. On security, he said the government is partnering with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to adopt the Safe School model. “The Rapid Response Centre is over 70 percent complete,” he added, highlighting efforts to ensure learner safety.

The Commissioner also prioritised teacher training. “We are currently training 2,000 teachers from public and private schools across the state in artificial intelligence (AI) free of charge,” he said. This includes security, AI, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills, with Huawei set to establish an ICT academy at Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, for advanced training and certification.