By Maryam Shuaibu
The Federal Government (FG) has begun equipping colleges of education with modern digital technology as part of efforts to improve teacher training and prepare educators for a rapidly evolving digital learning environment.
The initiative kicked off with the distribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to 15 federal and state colleges of education across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The intervention is being implemented through a partnership involving the Government of Japan, UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Education officials say the project is designed to strengthen teachers’ digital skills, improve access to quality learning resources and promote more inclusive classroom practices.
What the institutions received
The beneficiary colleges received a range of digital tools, including laptop computers, tablets, desktop systems, interactive smart boards, projectors, printers and backup storage devices.
According to the Federal Ministry of Education, the equipment is expected to support both pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes.
Officials say the facilities will help educators access digital learning content, adopt innovative teaching methods and improve classroom delivery.
The beneficiary institutions include federal and state-owned colleges of education in Niger, Kaduna, Gombe, Adamawa, Delta, Oyo, Anambra, Kano, Sokoto, Taraba, the Federal Capital Territory and other states.
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Focus on teacher development
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, said the intervention aligns with the government’s efforts to modernise teacher education and expand access to quality learning.
She noted that teachers remain central to education reforms and stressed the importance of equipping them with the skills required for 21st-century classrooms.
According to her, strengthening digital literacy among teachers is critical to improving learning outcomes and expanding educational opportunities, particularly for girls and vulnerable learners.
The project also includes training sessions on safe school environments, infrastructure security and the use of technology to support inclusive and gender-responsive education.
Beyond technology
Education stakeholders at the event said improving access to digital tools alone would not be enough without sustained investment in teacher capacity development and school leadership.
The Director of UNESCO-IICBA, Dr. Quentin Wodon, called for greater efforts to encourage women to take up leadership positions within schools, arguing that evidence from several countries shows positive educational outcomes where women occupy leadership roles.
Also speaking, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, Hitoshi Kozaki, said the partnership reflects Japan’s commitment to supporting educational development across Africa through locally driven solutions.
The initiative represents another step in its broader push to strengthen teacher education, improve digital learning and expand access to quality education across the country.