Abia Launches Second Cohort Of Smart Schools Training, 100 Teachers Equipped For 21st Century Learning (Photos, Video)

The Abia State Government has intensified its drive toward digital education and 21st-century pedagogy with the ongoing training of 100 teachers in digital learning and smart classroom management.

The three-week capacity-building workshop, which marks the second cohort of the Smart Schools Training Programme, is part of Governor Alex Otti’s comprehensive education reform agenda aimed at transforming the state’s basic and secondary school system through technology-driven instruction.

The training, organized in collaboration with Blue Giraffe Development Limited, focuses on blended learning, digital literacy, and the deployment of smart classroom technologies such as interactive smart boards, learning management systems, and school management tools.

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Speaking to ABN TV during the flag-off on Thursday 9th October 2025 at Wonderland event centre Umuahia, Sir Kenechukwu Nwosu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic and Secondary Education and Chairman of the Smart Schools Steering Committee, described the initiative as a bold step toward building a future-ready education system in Abia.

“What we are witnessing here is a testament to the transformation agenda of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, especially in basic education. The Governor has devoted 20 percent of the state’s annual budget to education, signalling a new era of digital learning in Abia,” Nwosu stated.

He explained that the government had earlier trained 150 teachers in the first cohort and is simultaneously constructing 20 smart schools across the state. According to him, the goal is to ensure that by the time the schools are completed, there will be well-trained, passionate, and tech-competent teachers ready to deliver world-class education using smart technology.

Nwosu also spoke on the lingering concerns over the posting of newly recruited teachers, assuring that Governor Otti has directed a comprehensive review to ensure fairness and comfort for all teachers.

“Following complaints after the initial postings, the Governor immediately set up a committee to handle reposting requests. Between Monday and Friday last week alone, over 200 cases were successfully resolved. Teachers have been advised to submit three preferred schools, and most have already been redeployed to suitable locations,” he said.

He added that helplines have been circulated to assist teachers and that the governor personally monitors the reposting process to ensure transparency and teacher satisfaction.

The Special Adviser further revealed that the reforms have triggered a surge in student enrollment in public schools.
“For example, Nkata Primary School, which had fewer than 200 pupils at the end of the last session, now has over 1,000 students. Likewise, School Road Primary School in Umuahia now records more than 700 pupils,” Nwosu disclosed.

He attributed the increase to massive infrastructure upgrades, provision of modern furniture, and the governor’s introduction of free and compulsory education, which is drawing both pupils and teachers from private schools into the public system.

In her remarks, Mrs. Orieji Okwara-Emele, Managing Director/CEO of Blue Giraffe Development Limited, lauded Governor Otti’s vision for education reform, recalling that her company had earlier built the first smart school pro bono at Ofaliagu, Amaekpu Ohafia.

“When His Excellency visited and saw the project, he was impressed and immediately invited us to replicate the model across the state. We are now working on 20 smart schools in the first phase. Many of the old structures were unfit for learning and are being replaced with modern, technology-enabled classrooms,” she explained.

Also speaking, Rear Admiral Harry Ngonadi (Rtd.), Chairman of Blue Giraffe Development Limited, praised Governor Otti’s all-encompassing approach, describing the Abia education revolution as “phenomenal and exemplary for other states to follow.”

One of the trainees, Mr. Onwubiko David Ikenna, a teacher from Umuahia, expressed gratitude to the government for the opportunity, saying the training had equipped him with digital literacy skills relevant to modern education.
“We’ve learned about communication, smart board operation, and digital teaching methods. This is 21st-century learning in action,” he said.

Another participant, Mrs. Esther, one of the newly recruited teachers posted to Nsirimo Central School, described the training as impactful and transformatsaid. “Gone are the days of chalk and lesson notes. With smart boards and e-planning, teaching is now interactive and exciting. I thank Governor Otti for making this possible,” she said.

A trainer from Byte Cognitics, Mr. Paul Ukonu, noted that the program goes beyond mere attendance.
“Teachers are assessed before receiving certificates to ensure they meet global digital teaching standards. Those who need more time will be retrained until they reach the required level,” he explained.

The Smart Schools project, according to the government, will continue in phases until all public schools in Abia State are fully digitized. With thousands of teachers set to undergo similar capacity development programs, Abia is fast emerging as a national model for smart education.

Governor Otti’s commitment to technology-driven learning, free and compulsory education, and robust teacher welfare is widely seen as positioning Abia as a frontrunner in Nigeria’s journey toward a knowledge-based economy.