The Federal Government has inaugurated the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Digital Resource Centre (DRC), to bolster the implementation of smart education in Nigeria.
The event marked a crucial step in Nigeria’s efforts to integrate technology into its education system by providing students across the nation equal opportunities to learn and excel regardless of their geographical location.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who commissioned the Centre on Thursday in Abuja, said it was designed to enhance the provision of smart teaching and learning environment for teachers and students.
According to him, over 10,000 teachers and educators have already received various forms of training at the Digital Resource Centre in preparation for full take off of the 37 Smart Schools built by the Federal Government through UBEC across the 36 states of the Federation and FCT.
The minister who asserted that the centre was second to none globally, added there could not have been a better time to develop digital technology in education than under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was committed to building vocational institutions across the country.
Mamman further noted that government was committed to timely upgrading of the centre to ensure quality delivery for what it is worth.
Chairman Senate Committee on Local Content, Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, noted that to have universal education in the country, a digital resource centre was necessary as whatever a child learns in Nigeria would be the same any child every other country was learning as well.
Natasha who represents Kogi-central senatorial district, pledged the commitment of the committee to collaborate with the centre towards realising its noble objectives.
Also, Chairman Senate Committee on Education, Senator Lawal Adamu who commended UBEC for the digital resource centre, stressed that a smart education centre was key to global development.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, said the establishment of the centre marks a milestone for Nigeria’s quest for digital education.
According to him, the concept and objective of the Centre was to provide high digital quality content for users in order to bridge the gap between traditional and modern learning
“UBEC has the mandate to coordinate quality education in Nigeria through innovation like the establishment of the Digital Resource Centre that employs the power of technology for education.
“This is to ensure that students and teachers have access to digital tools in a globalised world. We envisage a future where every Nigerian child has access to quality education.”