FG, Ondo Partner to Drive Digital Transformation in Education
AKURE, Nigeria —6th November, 2025
Nigeria’s march toward a data-driven, technology-enabled education system received a major boost on Tuesday as the Federal Government and Ondo State Government reaffirmed their commitment to educational reforms anchored on digital innovation, professional teacher development, and reliable data management.
Speaking at the opening of the 69th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Akure, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa said education remains the most effective tool for social mobility, national unity, and sustainable development, adding that his administration is determined to make learning more inclusive and technology-driven.
“Our goal is to make education not just accessible but meaningful and transformative. Every child in Ondo State deserves a fair chance at learning and success,” Aiyedatiwa said.
The governor, who pledged improved welfare for teachers, noted that the state’s long-standing investment in education—from the era of free education in the old Western Region to modern digital learning initiatives—had positioned Ondo as a model for innovation in the sector.
Aiyedatiwa commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for policies such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which he said had supported more than 624,000 students nationwide and helped reduce inequality in access to education.
He also praised the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, for championing transparency and accountability in the system.
Describing the meeting’s theme, “Quality Education Data and Professionalisation of Teaching: Tools for Enhanced National Development,” as timely, the governor emphasized that reliable education data is essential for effective policy design, resource allocation, and performance monitoring.
“We must restore dignity to the teaching profession. Teachers are the bedrock of national progress, and when they are empowered, the nation prospers,” he stated.
Aiyedatiwa listed several of his administration’s interventions under the OUR EASE education policy, including the recruitment and training of over 2,100 teachers, payment of annual examination fees for students, distribution of 75,000 textbooks, and the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms and laboratories across the state. He also confirmed that Ondo had paid all counterpart funds up to 2024 to access UBEC/SUBEB grants.
Other initiatives include bursaries and scholarships, digital skills centres, free school shuttle services, and consistent payment of teachers’ salaries and entitlements.
In his address, Minister of Education Dr. Alausa announced the approval of the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD), a digital platform for collecting and preserving academic records. He said the new National Credential Verification System would help curb certificate fraud and enhance the international credibility of Nigerian qualifications.
He revealed that 21 states had uploaded data into the Digital Nigerian Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), which integrates with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to track learners across the country.
Alausa added that the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) had been fully digitised to ease teacher registration and licence renewal, while UBEC would pay the licence fees for primary and junior secondary school teachers.
According to him, the Federal Government has built 4,900 classrooms, renovated 3,000 others, and established 34 model schools serving over 2.3 million learners nationwide. Over 60,000 digital tablets have also been distributed to teachers.
He further disclosed that more than one million out-of-school children had been digitally mapped, with over 15,000 learners enrolled under the Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP), while 577,000 girls benefitted from scholarships through the AGILE initiative.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, lauded the Ondo State Government for hosting the NCE meeting and emphasized the need for credible education data and professionalism in teaching.
Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, in his welcome address, said the state had fully migrated its school data to digital platforms to enhance transparency and planning.
The event was attended by top government officials, traditional rulers, and education stakeholders, including the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr. Bayo Philip; and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye.
