Ade Olu
The Enugu State Government has announced conclusion of the first phase of training for more than 18,000 public school teachers.
The training is a preparatory move ahead of the resumption of Smart Green Schools across the state in September 2025.
The state has also announced plan to partner with local governments on intensive training of teachers in the phase 2 of the programme commencing soon.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, disclosed these at a seminar held over the weekend in Enugu.
He stated that the teachers—comprising both newly recruited and existing educators, underwent a rigorous training programme focused on digital literacy and 21st-century instructional methods.
The initiative, he noted, is part of the state’s commitment to repositioning education through innovation and technology.
According to him, the training was necessitated by the state’s strategic shift from traditional teaching and learning practices, such as rote memorization, to experiential and interactive learning models.
“We are ushering in a new era where learners are equipped not just with facts, but with applicable knowledge and skills that are relevant in the modern world.
“We cannot achieve this feat without first training our teachers and equipping them with requisite knowledge needed for this strategic pedagogy.”
Why Smart Schools?
The Commissioner explained that the Smart Green Schools are designed to integrate digital tools, smart classrooms, and new subjects into the basic education system.
“Additionally, the training also covered Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
“This aims to empower students with practical skills for entrepreneurship and employability,” he added.
He said the administration had earlier conducted a computer-based Content Specialty Test and Digital Literacy Assessment in August 2024.
The Commissioner pointed out that out of 17,620 applicants who sat for the test, only 16% passed the benchmark.
He revealed that those who passed, alongside 18,052 existing teachers in public schools, underwent further intensive digital training.
This second phase, he explained, will intensify focus on classroom application of digital tools and continuous professional development for teachers in rural and urban areas.
The commissioner emphasized that more advanced trainings and evaluations would be conducted before the September resumption date, in line with the Enugu State Teachers Professional Development Policy.
He stressed that the initiatives also align with the Education Transformation Plan 2025–2035.
The plan seeks to reimagine the state’s education sector into a globally competitive and locally relevant system.
Speaking on the broader vision, Prof. Mbah highlighted that the Smart Green Schools and TVET programmes were crafted to make students competitive in the global knowledge economy and to position them as problem-solvers in their communities.
“Our students will not just consume knowledge; they will create it, apply it, and profit from it,” he said.
“This kind of financial prioritization is rare and shows that our governor understands that the future of any state lies in the quality of its education,” the commissioner concluded.
