The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has announced that 70 per cent of Nigeria’s over 10 million out-of-school children have benefitted from its digital literacy programme. The commission also disclosed that 60 per cent of public primary school teachers who previously lacked basic digital literacy skills have been trained. UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, made this known on Monday in Abuja at the closing ceremony of the $10 million Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)-Nigeria Smart Education Project, which began in 2021 and concluded on August 11, 2025.

Garba said Nigeria had made remarkable progress in digital transformation within basic education, with 21 smart schools currently operational nationwide and plans underway to commence activities in the remaining 16 out of 37 smart schools established by UBEC across all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). She noted that the KOICA partnership had helped address alarming statistics from 2021, when over 70 per cent of enrolled pupils lacked foundational learning skills and more than 60 per cent of public primary school teachers lacked basic digital competence.

Through the KOICA collaboration, Garba revealed, Nigeria developed its first Smart Education Master Plan, trained over 300 teachers and school leaders, set up six world-class content development studios, and produced nearly 4,000 digital learning materials in Mathematics and Science. KOICA supported six of UBEC’s smart schools, but the programme’s impact extended to over 8,000 learners in 21 states. “These are more than numbers,” Garba said. “They are lives touched, futures reshaped, and a growing belief that our public schools can compete globally.”

She further disclosed that UBEC had undertaken reforms to remove long-standing bottlenecks that had for more than two decades hindered states from accessing matching grants for education projects. As a result, about three million children have been reached, fund utilisation has exceeded 60 per cent, and the commission has distributed over 420,000 library materials, more than 158,000 Nigerian History books, 740 interactive smart boards, 250 desktop computers for girls’ alternative high schools, and 140 talking computers for learners with special needs.

Manager of KOICA’s Nigeria Office, David Nkwa, commended the initiative’s impact, stating that the project had significantly improved the quality of basic education in Nigeria over the last five years, especially in enhancing learning outcomes for pupils. He reiterated KOICA’s commitment to sustaining partnerships that drive inclusive and technology-driven education reforms in the country.