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The executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, has given the assurance that teachers to be deployed to the smart schools that are being constructed will receive intensive training similar to that being offered to their counterparts in Korea.
He stated this while receiving a six-member team of Korean experts, led by Prof. Youngwoo Park, on a courtesy visit at the end of their two-week tour to Nigeria, at the UBEC headquarters.
According to him, the smart schools initiative would boost use of information and communications technology (ICT) for teaching and learning, saying this was necessary to ensure that Nigeria competes favourably in the world of technology.
He emphasised that one of the best ways to achieve the milestone was to introduce children to e-learning from the moment they enrol in school.
“In many parts of the world e-learning is an integral part of learning. Some private schools have been into this business for some time now.
“For public schools, we are pushing hard to ensure that we offer this opportunity to every Nigerian child, regardless of whether they can afford the expenses or not,” he said
He expressed satisfaction at how soon the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between KOICA and UBEC in October 2021 was already beginning to bear fruit in the smart schools project in the areas of infrastructure, training of teachers and content development.
Speaking on the occasion, the country director of the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA), Mr. Son Sungil, stated that the six-member team was mainly made up of schoolteachers and capacity development experts and had been in Nigeria since August 3, 2022.
The team leader, Prof. Youngwoo Park, thanked the executive secretary for the reception and collaboration they had received from the commission during their stay, noting that the meetings and interactions with stakeholders were beneficial to both parties.
Also, the national coordinator of the smart schools programme, Prof. Bashir Galadanci, stated that during their stay the Korean team of experts had shared their experiences about operating smart schools, participated in a workshop on the finalization of training materials for teachers and education managers, and attended a meeting with SUBEB directors overseeing smart schools in their states.
He explained that UBEC had benefitted tremendously from their expertise and wealth of experience.
Some of the 37 smart schools being constructed by UBEC in 36 states of the Federation (and FCT) are scheduled to commence operations during the next academic session.
