CHIDIMMA UCHEGBU
The Federal Government says it has revoked the contract of the company handling the construction work for its smart school infrastructure in Kebbi State and re-awarded it to another contractor.
Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, disclosed that the construction work of the smart school in Bayelsa State is also undergoing due process to revoke the contract and be warded to another contractor, so that no state will be left behind in the smart school application of technology in education.
Sununu disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, while taking a tour of the FCT Smart School in Karshi, together with the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman.
“The two schools that are lagging behind; that of Kebbi State has been revoked and awarded to another contractor, and Bayelsa is also undergoing due process to revoke the contract and be rewarded so that no state will be left behind in the smart school application of technology in education,” he said.
He also decried the failure of some states whose smart schools have been completed and handed over, to supply the federal government with 75 teachers to be trained so as to run the schools.
He therefore called on other sates to emulate the FCT administration which is already providing roads and hostel accommodation to expand the scope of the smart school in its domain with a full complement of staff.
Sununu also called on traditional rulers and residents of Karshi, to provide adequate security for the facilities as they are the primary beneficiaries of their services before other Nigerians.
The Smart School project was initiated and funded by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in collaboration with Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, to increase the capacity of teachers in the development and use of ICT content and to improve the access of teachers and pupils to quality teaching and learning materials.
Earlier, the Minister of Education, Mamman, said Nigeria’s education system was currently directed towards technology-enhanced learning to help nurture the thinking and creativity of the students.
“This is the type of institution we aspire to have in the country that integrates personal learning and takes technology right from the beginning and makes learning interactive for toddlers; learners taking from the foundation and from there to build up to university level.
“It will help to nurture their thinking and creativity. So this is the direction our education is going,” he said.
While describing the pioneer staff of the school as very lucky, he encouraged them to take their jobs seriously, adding that the school will serve as a training ground for other teachers and institutions around them.
The minister, who reiterated government’s plan to establish one smart school in each state of the federation, said currently, there are 26 of them while construction work on the remaining ones is ongoing.
“This is part of the legacy this government is delivering to Nigerians which is to make provision for a digitalised school system for pupils to be trained in the use of technology right from kindergarten to basic and junior secondary school,” he said.
According to him, the teachers of the schools will not only be involved in the delivery of lessons but development of what the kids would be taught.
“This is one of the unique features of this institution, you have facilities that will allow you to develop the content of what you are going to offer within the Nigerian context, values and national curriculum,” he said.
He further stated that the smart schools will combine conventional and vocational aspects of education so that at completion the students will have skills that can help them in life.
On the issue of security of the facility which is located well in the outskirts of Karshi, the minister said government was aware of security challenges in the country and has put together elaborate security arrangements for all of the smart schools across the country.
According to him, both armed and unarmed security guards are being engaged while partnership with host communities is being forged to give the schools all the necessary security.
He said a strong community engagement was important for both security and for the institutions to impact on the communities.
“Apart from strengthening the economy of Karshi, it’s a learning centre set up for training of teachers and other people within the Karshi area. So there’s this sense of ownership by the community which will help a lot in synergising in many fronts,” he said.
The minister said over 11,000 Almajiri were counted in FCT alone and will be enrolled in different schools across the country by September.
“On ground already we have armed policemen and we are expecting armed civil defence personnel. Besides, we also have vigilantes from the community and we have some programmes we are working on to ensure that this school is perfectly secured.
“We are in collaboration with the community as far as the security of this school is concerned,” the Minister of State for Education said.
