Abia prepares teachers to use digital tools in new high-tech schools

Abia State Government began intensive digital training for teachers on Thursday, ahead of learning resumption in its technology-enabled schools.

The training, facilitated by Blue Giraffe Development Ltd., is taking place at the newly completed Umuomaiukwu Smart School, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise focuses on equipping teachers with skills for technology-driven and student-centred learning.

‘Cramming is no longer the best way to teach a child’

Orieji Okwara-Emele, managing director and chief executive officer of Blue Giraffe Development Ltd., said effective teachers remained central to the Smart Schools initiative.

“I’m excited when any batch comes. This batch would be exceptional because most of these teachers have not had this kind of training,” she said.

Mrs Okwara-Emele said the training was designed to replace traditional memorisation with teaching methods that encourage pupils to engage technology and access information.

“The era of cramming is no longer the best way to teach a child. Technology is there; the tools are there for you to extract information,” she said.

She said the programme was anchored on “21st Century Pedagogy” and the four Cs of blended learning: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical thinking.

Laptops for teachers

Mrs Okwara-Emele disclosed that teachers would receive laptops and learn to use interactive Smart Boards, while pupils would use tablets during classroom activities.

She added that pupils would also receive age-appropriate exposure to Artificial Intelligence, robotics, coding and virtual reality.

“It can never be a one-off. Governor Alex Otti has made it mandatory that there should be continuous learning and updates,” she said.

Mrs Okwara-Emele said the initiative reflected Governor Otti’s commitment to education, including the state’s 20 per cent budgetary allocation to the sector.

She described the investment as “an uncommon commitment to preventing the state’s schoolchildren from being left behind in the digital age.”

She urged parents to ensure their children attended school regularly and took advantage of the opportunities provided through the Smart Schools.

“Make sure your ward comes to school on time and gains the best of what they’re being given,” she said.

One of the largest Smart Schools

The Umuomaiukwu Smart School is among 20 fully digital public primary schools being developed by the Otti administration across Abia’s 17 local government areas.

NAN reports that the facility is one of the largest Smart Schools completed under the programme, following the Ubakala Smart School.

READ ALSO: Abia begins training for 4,074 newly recruited teachers

Victoria Ikedichi, one of the instructors, said the first day of training focused on communication, collaboration and effective use of technology in teaching.

“Having a facility like the Smart School, we have to make sure that the teachers have enough knowledge to pass on to the students,” she said.

Mrs Ikedichi said teachers needed to become sufficiently technology-savvy to produce pupils capable of learning and competing in an increasingly digital world.

For the newly recruited teachers, the training represents a major shift from conventional classroom teaching.

Ruth Udeonye, one of the participants, described the Smart School initiative as “massive” and “a great invention for teachers”.

“Our expectation is to be computer literate and to engage these children using the smart laptops and tools that will be issued to us,” she said.

Another participant, Emmanuel Nwagbara, described the training as “the best so far in the state”.

Mr Nwagbara said the programme would enable teachers to deliver real-time knowledge through ICT rather than relying on conventional blackboard-and-chalk methods.

“It will make learning faster, easier and more accessible,” he said.