10th November 2023

The Honourable Minister of State for Education, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko Sununu, accompanied by directors from the Federal Ministry of Education, recently visited the newly completed Digital Resource Centre, UBEC.

The UBEC Management Team, led by the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi warmly received the Honourable Minister upon his arrival at the Digital Resource Centre Complex. The Minister and his delegation embarked on a tour of the UBEC Digital Museum led by the National Coordinator, Prof. Bashir Galadanci.

In his remarks, the Honourable Minister commended the Commission for its remarkable efforts and prayed for the continuous success of the DRC, UBEC to serve as a reference centre of excellence. He underscored the potential of the DRC to lead innovation, research, content development, and capacity building in basic education in the West African Sub-region.

30th October-3rd November 2023

The Digital Resource Center, UBEC, conducted a five-day Workshop to design a veritable Digital Training Course Programme for TIS participants to adequately equip them for their roles as support teachers in the UBEC Smart Schools.

The Teacher Internship Scheme (TIS) programme is a strategic initiative aimed at recruiting fresh qualified education graduates and transforming teacher trainees into educators who are well-prepared for the demands of modern, technology-driven classrooms.

To ensure the effective performance of their roles, TIS participants need to possess a diverse skill set. This includes proficiency in digital literacy, the ability to leverage digital learning tools, mastery of blended learning pedagogy and expertise in classroom management, among other essential competencies.

The TIS programme is a crucial step toward addressing the gaps in teaching personnel and enhancing the quality of education within Nigeria’s basic education institutions.

26th October 2023

The one-day meeting with the Chairpersons of 15 State Universal Basic Education Boards where academic activities were scheduled to commence in the 2023/2024 academic session was held at the Digital Resource Center, UBEC.

The National Coordinator, DRC, Prof Bashir Galadanci in his remarks stated that the purpose of the meeting was to holistically obtain information on the status of the smart schools in the States concerned, examine the progress made, identify challenges of each state and find ways of proffering solutions to them.

The SUBEB Chairs made presentations that addressed the objectives of the meeting as it relates to their respective State Smart Schools. The Model Smart Schools is a partnership between UBEC and SUBEB which will ultimately ensure the success of the programme.

18th-19th October 2023

A 2-day workshop themed ‘Setting the research agenda and methodology for UBEC Digital Resource Center: issues and prospects’ was held at the Digital Resource Center, UBEC.

The Maiden workshop brought together a group of intellectuals from academia, UBEC Departments of Quality Assurance and Planning, Research, Statistics and other relevant organizations. They collaboratively charted the course for research in the DRC by identifying topical priority research areas and methodologies to guide the Unit.

In the end, after the brainstorming session, several topics emerged and were grouped into ten (10) thematic research areas as they relate to the DRC, UBEC. This has established a strong foundation for the effective launch of the research arm of the Center, with a clear course of action.

14TH OCTOBER 2023

The UBEC Digital Resource Centre (DRC) recently initiated a constructive dialogue with Step Up Nigeria, a prominent NGO dedicated to anti-corruption education and civic engagement within the education sector.

The DRC team, headed by the National Coordinator, Prof. Bashir Galadanci expressed their sincere appreciation for the warm reception received from StepUp Nigeria, despite the short notice. He commended the StepUp Nigeria team for their remarkable creativity and innovation in promoting the restoration of socio-moral values in Nigeria, particularly within Basic Education Schools.

The StepUp Nigeria Team, led by the Deputy Programme Coordinator, Mrs. Feranmi Iyanda expressed delight at the visit and was pleased with the substantial progress made by UBEC through the DRC. The visit was part of the DRC’s ongoing efforts to establish meaningful relationships with key players in the field

14TH OCTOBER 2023

The UBEC DRC team visited the Sesame Square Foundation to seek collaboration in the ECCDE component of basic education to elevate the quality of ECCDE programmes in UBEC Smart Schools and E-learning centers across the Country.

Sesame Square Foundation has been at the forefront of making learning not only informative but also enjoyable in the classroom through engaging and interactive educational content for decades. The Foundation is supported by the esteemed Sesame Workshop in New York, USA and has been instrumental in creating a wide array of educational materials that aim to kindle the interest of young learners.

The National Coordinator, DRC, Prof Bashir Galadanci was impressed with the Foundations’ consistent dedication to educating children through content delivered on mainstream media and a treasure trove of educational resources available and accessible to learners. The meeting marks a significant step toward enhancing the effective implementation of the Early Childhood Care and Development Education in Nigeria.

11th October 2023

The Digital Resource Center, UBEC, conducted a workshop to train DRC support staff on specific skills required in content gathering and collation of internet resources for utilization by the administrators and teachers in the model smart schools and 109 e-learning centers.

The DRC support staff were urged by the National Coordinator, Prof Bashir Galadanci to focus on sourcing and categorizing rich relevant online resources according to the provided template.

The primary objective of the training workshop was to equip educators with the necessary skills to identify credible and relevant educational resources on the internet, Gather and organize these resources for easy access and use as well and ensure that these resources can be easily integrated into teaching methods to enhance learning outcomes.

4TH -5TH OCTOBER 2023

In a bid to strengthen its educational technology agenda and foster collaborative relationships with industry leaders, the Commission actively participated in the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NBCC) African Edutech Conference in Lagos State. This strategic engagement served as an avenue for exploration of the contemporary educational technology landscape, opportunities for innovative collaborations and identification of potential partnerships.

The UBEC DRC delegation was led by the National Coordinator, Prof Bashir Galadanci, other members of the team were the Head of Capacity Development and Training, Dr Hafsat Kontagora and the Desk Officer for Training and Technical matters, Mr Idris Oladipo.

During the 2-day outing, the team visited and interacted with various Edtech Centers which included; Education First Nigeria Limited, Skool Media Student’s Technology Experience Centre, Teacher’s Digital Learning Centre at the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, CCHUB and Imisi 3D, a Nigerian mixed reality startup focused on training, content development and research.

28th September 2023

The DRC organized a one-day meeting to serve as a prelude for the start of operations in the 109 e-learning centers in the September 2023/2024 academic session. The meeting was attended by stakeholders from the Departments of Academic Services, Quality Assurance, Teacher Development, Social Mobilization, and the ICT Unit of UBEC.

Deliberations focused on developing strategies for the overall implementation of the E-learning framework designed to equip educators with the necessary skillset for managing technology in education. This would require proper assessment and resource provisioning for participant biodata including ICT skill enhancement, blended learning methodologies, pedagogical integration with ICT and technical competency development. A preliminary schedule for technology integration across the extensive network of e-learning centers was introduced at the meeting.

There were also discussions on the implementation framework for the training of Headteachers, Center Coordinators and Teachers, as well as the course modules for the 109 E-learning Centers. It was agreed that incorporating technology into pedagogical practice in this digital era is crucial to achieving better learning outcomes. Therefore, a 3-day training session for Head Teachers of the 109 e-learning centers was scheduled to be held from 4th-7th September 2023. This will equip them with the competencies to effectively manage technology in education and improve learning initiatives.

The stakeholders concluded the meeting by establishing a clear course of action for the implementation process of the 109 centers. It also served as a valuable platform for stakeholders to collaborate and shape the role and future of technology in education in the soon-to-take-off 109 centers. The e-learning programme was designed to encourage public schools to gradually evolve into ICT-driven schools.