UBEC Commits to Nationwide Smart Education Rollout at ICSE 2025

At ICSE 2025, UBEC announced a nationwide smart education rollout in partnership with KOICA to digitally transform Nigeria’s public schools through advanced infrastructure, teacher training, and technology integration, aiming to align with global education standards.

allscho The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has pledged a nationwide expansion of smart education infrastructure, unveiling comprehensive plans during the ongoing 2025 International Conference on Smart Education and Digital Literacy (ICSE 2025) to equip public primary and junior secondary schools across Nigeria with cutting-edge digital learning technologies.

Speaking at the conference in Abuja, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, emphasized that the initiative, developed in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is aimed at aligning Nigeria’s basic education system with global best practices and preparing students for a future driven by digital innovation.

Dr. Garba highlighted that, while several African countries like Rwanda have already integrated artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into their classrooms, Nigeria is now accelerating its efforts through the construction of smart schools, teacher training programs, and the deployment of ICT tools across the 36 states and the FCT.

She noted that despite UBEC’s progress, data shows that fewer than 50% of public primary schools in Nigeria currently have access to digital infrastructure—underscoring the urgency of this nationwide smart education initiative. The Commission, she added, is shifting focus from simply providing hardware to ensuring the integration of technology into teaching, learning, and school management.

KOICA’s Country Director, Mr. Kim Eunsub, reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital education transformation, citing the success of the KOICA Smart School Initiative as a foundation for future phases. He announced that a second phase of the project, which includes more schools, teacher capacity-building, and curriculum development, is expected to launch in 2026.

The conference, themed “Empowering African Smart Education Through Emerging Technologies,” continues through May 9, gathering education stakeholders from across Africa to discuss collaborative strategies for scaling digital literacy and innovation in schools.

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Sources: ALLSCHOOL, LEADERSHIP