Federal Government has identified teachers as the heartbeat of education system in every society.
Minister of state for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the occasion of the official handover ceremony of ICT equipment and materials to 15 teacher training institutions across six geo- political zones of of Nigeria.
According to her, teachers remain the backbone of every education system as no education reform can succeed without well-trained, motivated, and digitally empowered teachers.
“It is therefore encouraging that within the framework of this project, UNESCO IICBA, in close consultation with the Federal Ministry of Education and beneficiary institutions, has acquired ICT equipment aimed at upgrading institutional facilities with modern digital tools”.
On his part, 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.
Also, 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.
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.
The Project is aimed at Capacity-building of Teachers to Promote Continuous and Inclusive Access to Safe and Quality Education for Girls in West Africa,”
The ceremony represented far more than the distribution of digital tools; it symbolizes a strategic investment in Nigeria’s education system and a shared commitment to building a future driven by qualified teachers, innovative teaching approaches, and inclusive learning opportunities for all learners, especially girls.
Funded by the Government of Japan through UNESCO-IICBA, the project is designed to address pressing educational challenges confronting many countries in West Africa, including low educational attainment, high rates of out-of-school children, learning poverty, gender inequality, and the shortage of qualified teachers.
