Enugu Smart School Initiative Receives Global Backing, Local Embrace, Says Commissioner

Charles Ajunwa

The Commissioner for Education in Enugu State, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, has said the state’s Smart Green School initiative is receiving unprecedented support from international development agencies, donor organisations, and Nigerian diaspora communities.

He described the ambitious education programme as the most widely supported and locally embraced project in the state’s recent history.

Prof. Mbah, a Professor of History at the State University of New York, Buffalo, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Lagos.

According to him, Enugu’s Smart Green Schools are not merely physical structures but hubs of integrated learning, community empowerment, and sustainable development.

“We are supported by prestigious grants and leading education sector partners,” Mbah said. “UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission, and numerous international foundations are all backing this effort. Our people in the diaspora are also lending their support. It’s not just a government project—it’s a movement.”

The initiative, introduced under the administration of Governor Peter Mbah, has taken root across all 260 political wards in the state, transforming the educational and social landscape of rural and urban communities alike.

The commissioner confirmed that virtually every ward in Enugu now has a Smart Green School, with only a few exceptions in single-village wards still under review.

He described the public reception as overwhelming, noting that communities have embraced the schools as a generational opportunity for transformation.

“People see this as the most important project of their lifetime,” he stated, adding “Everywhere a Smart School is built, life changes. The community changes. Hope returns.”

Each Smart Green School is designed to accommodate between 840 and 1,000 pupils and is operated by a cohort of 40 to 50 specially trained Smart Teachers.

Unlike traditional public schools, these institutions are designed to be fully self-sustaining.

The schools are solar-powered, internet-enabled, and supported by an eco-friendly infrastructure that includes water systems, modern sanitary facilities, agricultural plots, and digital teaching tools.

A standout feature of the Smart Schools is the comprehensive welfare model it offers. Every school includes on-site residential apartments for teachers, creating a built-in incentive for high-calibre professionals to work in remote communities.

In addition, every Smart School has a functional health clinic staffed with two registered nurses, ensuring that pupils and staff have immediate access to basic healthcare.

The schools also integrate a farm-to-table model as part of both the learning experience and the school feeding programme.

“Every one of these schools has a farm, and the children are fed daily from the produce of that farm, subsidised by the state government,” Mbah explained.

He added, “That means nearly 1,000 children in each school eat lunch every day. It’s not just about nutrition; it’s part of the education. They learn agriculture, sustainability, and responsibility.”

He emphasised that this approach reflects a philosophy of education that is holistic, practical, and future-oriented. Children are not only taught academic subjects but also gain hands-on experience in agriculture, environmental management, and digital literacy.

These schools, the commissioner noted, are designed to operate as green ecosystems—powered by solar energy and aligned with global standards of sustainability and innovation.

“In designing the model, the state government factored in not only the learning outcomes of children but also the quality of life for educators and surrounding communities. By including housing, electricity, water, internet, and health facilities in each Smart School, the government aims to catalyse broader rural development while eliminating excuses for poor educational access.

“Even if a village is in total darkness, once a Smart School is built there, you have power, internet, water, and life returns,” he said.

Mbah further explained that the inclusion of teacher housing and fully staffed clinics is more than a welfare strategy. “It is a structural approach to rural revitalisation. By placing quality education professionals in rural communities and giving them a conducive environment to live and work, the government is addressing both the teacher distribution crisis and the broader issue of uneven development.”

He also pointed out that these innovations are supported by evidence-based planning and extensive collaboration with international experts. “We are not improvising,” he said. “We are using global research, technology, and best practices. These schools are not just the best in Nigeria—they are among the best in Africa.”

The commissioner expressed confidence that Enugu’s Smart School model will become a reference point for national and continental education reform. With a combined focus on equity, infrastructure, innovation, and local empowerment, the initiative is already drawing attention from both government and private education stakeholders across the country.

“We are not just solving an education problem—we are solving a development problem.

“These Smart Schools are a new foundation for Enugu’s future. We are training children to think, to solve problems, to use technology, and to become builders of a new society. And we are doing it from the village up,” Mbah said.

With every school bringing light, food, education, and opportunity into the heart of communities, Enugu’s Smart Green School project stands as a bold and holistic experiment in using education as a lever for statewide transformation.