Yusuf Sununu, minister of state for education, says the federal government has revoked the contract of the company handling the construction work for the smart school infrastructure in Kebbi state and re-awarded it to another contractor.
Sununu also said the construction work of the smart school in Bayelsa is also being considered to be re-awarded to another contractor.
The minister spoke in Abuja on Tuesday during a tour of the federal capital territory (FCT) smart school in the Karshi community.
“The two schools that are lagging behind; that of Kebbi state has been revoked and awarded to another contractor, and Bayelsa is also undergoing due process to revoke the contract and be rewarded so that no state will be left behind in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 state governments whose smart schools have been completed and handed over, to supply the federal government with 75 teachers to be trained for the facilities.
The minister called on other states 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, noting that 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 during the tour, Tahir Mamman, the minister of education, said Nigeria’s education system is 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,” the minister said.
“It will help to nurture their thinking and creativity. So, this is the direction our education is going.”
While describing the pioneer staff of the school as very lucky, he encouraged them to take their job 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 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.
He added that teachers at 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 the government has put elaborate security arrangements in place for all of the smart schools across the country.
He said 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.
“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 Almajiris 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,” he said.
“We are in collaboration with the community as far as the security of this school is concerned,” the Minister of State for Education said.
