The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) said it would train twenty-nine teachers in South Korea on the Smart Education project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Teachers were drawn from six states, namely Cross River, Bauchi, Anambra, Nasarawa, Kano, and Ekiti reflecting the six geo-political zones in the country.

NAN reports that the training which lasted from July 29 to August 19, 2023, was part of the activities of the Smart School Education project that was signed in 2021 between the two agencies.

Mr Son Sungil, Country Director of KOICA, said in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday that teachers play vital roles in the life of students and the success of the smart school project.

“This teacher training marks the 3rd in a series of training provided by KOICA for the Smart School Project.

“In December 2022, twenty (20) principals from Smart schools were trained in Korea and another twenty (20) education stakeholders.

”This includes the SUBEB chairman led by the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, on a Smart Education Study, visit to Korea.

“Currently, the Korean government, through KOICA, is supporting 6 states out of the 36 states and the FCT where UBEC had built Smart Schools.

“The support includes training of teachers, principals, and education stakeholders, the creation of digital content for mathematics and science subjects for Primary 4 to 6 and Junior Secondary 1 to 3,

”Also the installation of content development studios in each of the 6 Smart Schools,” he said.

Sungil noted that teachers were selected from the Smart schools based on their performance and will understudy Korea’s Smart School Education system and methodology.

However, on their return to Nigeria, they are expected to mentor Nigerian teachers on how smart schools operate.

In 2012, the Korean government initiated a strategic plan for SMART education for every student. SMART education is an educational policy that refers to Self-directed, Motivated, Adaptive, Resource enriched, and Technology embedded education.

NAN