Enugu Smart Schools

In an ambitious stride towards digital education, the Enugu State Government in Nigeria has announced a comprehensive initiative to construct 250 ‘smart schools’ across the state’s 260 wards. This bold undertaking aims to revolutionize education by incorporating cutting-edge technologies into the learning environment. The concept of smart schools involves outfitting classrooms with digital tools such as computers, interactive whiteboards, and internet connectivity to augment the educational experience for students.

Enugu State’s Governor, Peter Mbah, has revealed that his administration is committed to ensuring that even the most impoverished child in the remotest part of the state receives a world-class education using 21st-century tools. The government has already completed the construction of one smart school, with contracts awarded for nine more. Furthermore, an additional 250 smart schools will be constructed across the state in less than 14 months, each equipped with internet access, solar power, and a modern ICT center.

Driving Educational Equity

By distributing these smart schools evenly across all wards, the government is underlining its commitment to educational equity. This approach aims to make modern educational resources accessible to students irrespective of their location within the state. These smart schools will not only house a center for robotics and artificial intelligence but will also feature two well-equipped laboratories for primary school and junior secondary school, a studio for creative production, and 25 inclusive classrooms with interactive digital whiteboards and android tablets for pupils’ use.

This initiative is a part of a broader trend across various regions to embrace technology in education and equip the next generation for the challenges of the future. The teachers who will lead these model smart schools are currently undergoing training by global experts. An impressive 30 percent of the 2024 budget for the state has been earmarked for education. The state administration, under Governor Peter Mbah, is also committed to the training of at least 40,000 youths across the state in relevant digital and entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to compete globally.