Education
FG Builds 37 Smart Schools to Boost Learning
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian government has made significant progress in the construction of 37 smart schools across the country as part of efforts to boost Information Communication Technology (ICT).
The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mr Hamid Bobboyi, made this known in Abuja, explaining that extensive work had been done in 20 of the 37 schools to be built, while work would begin fully on the remaining soon.
According to him, the initiative has become necessary to ensure that Nigeria competes favourably as the world continued to shift with the several advances in technology.
The UBEC Executive Secretary emphasised that one of the best ways to achieve the milestone was to introduce children to electronic learning from the moment they enrolled in school.
“In many parts of the world e-learning is an integral part of learning. Some private schools have been in this business for some time now.
“For public schools, we are pushing hard to ensure that we offer this opportunity to every Nigerian child regardless of whether they can afford the expenses or not,” he said.
On the budget for the project, Mr Bobboyi said that the programme was an expensive venture, but the government believed it was worth doing because it would develop the teachers of the next generation.
“Meanwhile, the project has a rolling budget. We give out funds in tranches based on the availability of resources.
“An average cost for constructing each of the schools at the zonal level is N600 million because they have more facilities.
“The average for the state models is about N350,000 per school,” the executive secretary said.
Speaking on the uniqueness of the smart schools, he said they would be hands-on, providing opportunities for children to use gadgets from point of enrolment.
“Each of the schools has a primary and junior secondary section. Those in the junior secondary section will be introduced to artificial intelligence.
“There is also provision for special education and this is to ensure that we do not isolate children with special needs.
“Other facilities in the schools are e-library, robotic laboratories and vocational laboratories, among others,” he said.
On some challenges the schools may face, including power shortage, inadequate access to internet services as well as insecurity, Bobboyi said all of those had been considered.
He said: “We are in touch with relevant government agencies and internet service providers and they are willing to render their services to ensure unfettered internet connectivity.
“It is no doubt going to be one of the most expensive components of the school but the project is worth it because of its numerous benefits.
“These schools will have a central control system which will be in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It will be a digital resource centre housing the servers for each of the schools.
“We will equally have a backup at the zonal levels in the event that anything goes wrong with the central server.
“In terms of power supply, we are working with a Chinese company on a solar-based system with backup generators for a flawless service.
“There will equally be security gadgets like the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to ensure adequate protection of life and property.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The deadline for entries for the 2025 Maltina Teacher of the Year competition has been extended to Friday, September 5 from Friday, August 22, a statement from the organisers has revealed.
The prestigious event, organised by Nigerian Breweries Plc, is used to celebrate teachers from across the country.
Now in its 11th edition, the Maltina Teacher of the Year award has become a coveted prize for the teaching industry in Nigeria.
The Corporate Affairs Director for Nigerian Breweries, Mr Uzodinma Odenigbo, explained that the decision to extend the deadline by two weeks was in response to requests from teachers who asked for additional time to complete their submissions.
“We’ve received significant interest from teachers across the country who requested more time to prepare and submit their entries. This extension is to ensure that as many deserving teachers as possible can participate,” Mr Odenigbo said.
“The 11th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative is open to all secondary school teachers currently teaching in Nigeria. The competition remains an effective intervention program geared towards giving pride to the teaching profession and improving the education sector in Nigeria as a whole,” he added.
Mr Odenigbo noted that eligible teachers interested in taking part in the competition are to log on to www.maltinateacheroftheyear.com to complete their application online. Alternatively, they can download the form and send the completed form via email to maltinateacheroftheyear@heineken.com.
He reiterated the commitment of the company to rewarding teachers, stating that the overall winner for the competition would receive a trophy, a total cash prize of N10 million, a capacity development training abroad, and a school infrastructure project worth N30 million in his/her school.
“The first runner-up of the competition will equally receive a trophy and a sum of N5 million, while the second runner-up receives a trophy and N3 million. All state champions will be rewarded with recognition plaques and a cash prize of N1 million each,” he added.
The Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative was established in 2015 and is funded through the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, which was set up in 1994 to facilitate an active contribution to the development of the education sector in Nigeria in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A mobile platform tailored to transforms the way people learn to code by combining interactive challenges and real-time AI-powered feedback has been launched.
The application, Efiwe, a mobile-first and AI-driven platform that allows anyone to master coding directly from a smartphone, was created to make coding accessible to all
It offers comprehensive training in HTML through hundreds of structured challenges, with CSS and JavaScript set to follow soon.
The platform, launched on Saturday, August 16, 2025, is embedded with an adaptive AI tutor, which analyses learner’s progress, prioritises errors, predicts helpful hints, and adjusts the pace of lessons. The AI doesn’t just point out mistakes, it personalises the journey, ensuring that each learner is challenged but never overwhelmed.
According to the founder of Efiwe, Mr Chidi Nwaogu, the platform was borne out of a clear signal of the urgent global demand for more inclusive and accessible coding education.
He said through Efiwe, learners can be guided step by step to build a professional website from scratch, moving from a blank page to a polished project without the need for a computer or additional software, noting that by focusing on mobile accessibility, Efiwe ensures that coding education is no longer limited by device or geography.
The platform’s offline capability, powered by lightweight on-device AI models, is one of its most groundbreaking features. Once loaded, Efiwe can function without an internet connection, allowing learners in regions with limited or expensive connectivity to continue their coding journey uninterrupted. Its multilingual support in 33 languages further broadens accessibility, making it a truly global solution.
“We believe coding education should be fun, accessible, and effective — and that’s what Efiwe delivers.
“With over 33 languages available and a fully offline mode, we are breaking down barriers and giving people from all backgrounds the chance to learn how to code. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an aspiring developer, Efiwe is here to help you grow,” Mr Nwaogu stated.
“Efiwe is built on the belief that anyone, anywhere, should be able to start their coding journey. By making it mobile-first and offline-ready, we’re especially empowering learners in regions where internet access is limited or costly. Efiwe is proof that technology can bridge the global digital divide,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the disbursement of a total of N86.3 billion loan to 449,039 students since the scheme was launched on its portal on May 24, 2024.
According to the latest daily status report released on Monday, August 11, 2025, the scheme disbursed the loan as of August 6, 2025.
The fund noted that “the scheme delivers on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of empowering every Nigerian student through access to higher education funding.”
It said the disbursement included N47,629,338,384 paid directly to 218 institutions as tuition fees and N38,718,120,000 given to students as upkeep allowances.
The report further revealed that 731,140 students have registered on the loan portal, out of which 720,732 have successfully applied for loans — representing a 98 per cent application success rate.
Data from the dashboard shows a daily increase of 933 in the number of successful registrants and an additional 1,094 successful applicants.
The update was necessitated by concerns over alleged misconduct threatening the integrity and transparency of the student loan scheme established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024.
There have also been cases of students who have graduated still receiving loans, as well as loan payments to institutions even after students have paid their fees as well as collusion between some tertiary institutions and financial institutions to delay, divert, or conceal student loan disbursements.
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