The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a future-ready and globally competitive education system with the inauguration of the Katsina State Smart Model Secondary School in Radda, Katsina State.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the project on Tuesday alongside Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda.
Alausa, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Ikharo Attah, in Abuja, described the project as a bold milestone. He noted that the smart school represents more than just physical infrastructure but a symbol of innovation, opportunity, and strategic investment in human capital.
“This initiative is aimed at preparing Nigerian students for a technology-driven global economy,” he said.
The minister commended Governor Radda’s leadership under the Build-Your-Future Blueprint, saying Katsina’s progress in expanding access to education, improving infrastructure, and strengthening teacher development demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable development through education.
Alausa said the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and forms part of broader reforms under the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
According to him, the initiative focuses on expanding access to education, strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM), as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). It will also improve infrastructure, promote inclusive education, and advance digital governance.
The minister disclosed that states have accessed over N106 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grants in the last 18 months. He added that investments exceeding N22 billion have been committed to teacher development, while N2.035 billion was disbursed to School-Based Management Committees nationwide.
He further revealed that more than 10,000 classrooms have been renovated, 978,000 teachers trained, and over 7.8 million textbooks distributed across the country.
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Alausa announced that the revised Primary Education Curriculum is already being implemented nationwide, while the new Secondary Education Curriculum will commence in the next academic session. He also revealed that funding has been secured for the HOPE Education Programme to deepen access, improve quality, and strengthen institutional capacity.
On skills development, the minister said more than 160,000 youths are currently undergoing training across over 1,200 TVET centres nationwide, with more than one million applications recorded in the latest phase.
He highlighted ongoing digital reforms, including the rollout of a cloud-based Annual School Census and the introduction of the Learner Identification Number (LIN) to enhance data-driven planning, transparency, and accountability.
Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive education, noting that efforts are being intensified in collaboration with states to address the challenge of out-of-school children.
He said the Katsina Smart Model Secondary School would serve as a national model for smart education and a catalyst for transformative change in the education sector.
In his remarks, Governor Dikko Radda said his administration built the smart model secondary school based on the belief that education is the foremost responsibility of government to its citizens. He added that the state government would continue to ensure every zone in Katsina has access to quality education.
The governor noted that since assuming office, his administration has implemented far-reaching reforms aimed at transforming the education sector in the state.
