By Njide Ezeonyejiaku
As part of their collaborative efforts with the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC to implement a smart education project in Nigeria since 2021, a team of Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA Nigeria Office paid a visit to the UBEC Smart School, at Isiagu, Anambra State.
The team, led by KOICA Senior Deputy Country Director, Mr. Back Ki-Hyun, with other members, including the Junior Deputy Country Director, Ms Aram Lee; the Manager, Mr. David Nkwa, as well as Dr. Johnson Adegoke and Mrs Monique Udoh were in Anambra State Smart School for an in-depth survey to evaluate the readiness of the school and collate feedback from the host community to be reflected in their 2nd phase project to be robust, effective and inclusive.
It is worthy of note that KOICA has supported the establishment of six Smart Schools in Nigeria in the first phase of the Smart Education Project and the benefitting States include: Kano, Ekiti, Nasarawa, Cross River, Bauchi and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
According to the KOICA team, the 2nd phase of the project is expected to kick-off towards the end of 2025 and early 2026. It will address the challenges of teachers’ capacity improvement, learning materials, students’ learning outcome, scholarship support, and school digital infrastructure among others.
The KOICA team was received by the Executive Chairman, Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, Awka, Dr. Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi on behalf of the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.
Dr. Nwadinobi informed the KOICA team that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is already investing in 22 Smart Secondary Schools in the State and also provided boarding facilities and teachers’ quarters to kick-off the UBEC Smart School, Isiagu.
She expressed joy that Anambra met the essential requirements to be included in the 2nd phase of their assistance and interventions to States.
The team also visited the Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Mr. Earnest Ezeajughi before departing to Delta State in continuation of their UBE School Survey.
