Fifteen Federal and State Colleges of Education across Nigeria have received Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment donated by the Government of Japan to strengthen teacher education and promote digital learning.
The equipment was handed over in Abuja through the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) as part of efforts to improve teacher training and advance digital transformation in the education sector.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, said the intervention would enhance institutional capacity, improve access to digital learning tools and support innovative teaching methods.
She noted that the initiative, launched in March 2024, aims to strengthen teacher-training institutions and expand equitable access to quality education, particularly for girls, in six African countries—Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria.
According to the minister, the donated items include 55 laptops, 71 tablets, four desktop computers, five interactive smart boards, 90 all-in-one desktop computers, 14 projectors, 15 printers and 15 backup hard drives.
She emphasised that teachers remain the backbone of any education system, adding that no meaningful education reform can succeed without well-trained and empowered educators.
Ahmad also highlighted the importance of safe and inclusive learning environments, saying the ICT intervention would be complemented by training on school safety and infrastructure security.
The Director of the Colleges of Education Department in the Federal Ministry of Education, Uchenna Uba, described the programme as a collaborative effort designed to improve teacher education and expand access to quality learning opportunities.
She said the deployment of digital resources would strengthen classroom instruction, improve access to educational materials and equip teachers with essential digital skills required in the 21st-century learning environment.
Also speaking, Hitoshi Kozaki, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan, expressed confidence that the equipment would enhance teacher preparation and improve learning outcomes across beneficiary institutions.
The Director of UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, Quentin Wodon, said the initiative would contribute significantly to the transformation of teacher education and support efforts to advance girls’ education.
The beneficiary institutions include colleges of education in Kontagora, Zaria, Gombe, Yola, Asaba, Oyo, Umunze, Zuba, Kano, Argungu, Sokoto, Hong, Zing, Enugu and Bayelsa State.
The Federal Ministry of Education urged the institutions to make effective and sustainable use of the equipment to improve teacher training, enhance learning outcomes and strengthen Nigeria’s education system.
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