FG: Katsina Smart Schools to Boost Nigeria’s Tech-Driven Education

.Security operations resettle over 30 displaced communities

Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Omolabake Fasogbon in Lagos

The federal government has said the establishment of Katsina State Smart Model Secondary Schools by the state government would boost Nigeria’s technology-driven education.

Also, no fewer than 30 political wards earlier deserted due to ravaging insecurity in Katsina have now been reclaimed, with the state government attributing development to a raft of security interventions rolled out internally.

The government said that the initiative is preparing Nigerian students for a technology-driven global economy and equip learners with digital skills, innovation, and problem-solving abilities needed to compete effectively in the modern world.

Unveiling the Smart Model Secondary School in Radda, Katsina State, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the school would provide students with access to modern learning facilities and technology-based teaching methods that align with global educational standards.

Aside from the newly inaugurated Smart Model Secondary School in Radda community, the Katsina State Government is also constructing similar projects in Jikamshi and Dumurkul communities, with the schools now at advanced stages of completion.

Alausa described the project as a bold milestone, noting that the Smart School represented more than physical infrastructure but a symbol of innovation, opportunity and strategic investment in human capital.

He explained that Katsina’s progress in expanding access to education, improving infrastructure and strengthening teacher development demonstrated commitment to sustainable development through education.

According to the minister, the initiative aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and formed part of broader reforms under the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).

The initiative, he said, 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).

Alausa further disclosed that more than N106 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission matching grants had been accessed by states within the last 18 months.

He said over N22 billion had been invested in teacher development, while N2.035 billion was disbursed to School-Based Management Committees across the country.

The minister added that more than 10,000 classrooms had been renovated, 978,000 teachers trained, and over 7.8 million textbooks distributed nationwide.

According to him, the revised Primary Education Curriculum is already being implemented across the country, while the new Secondary Education Curriculum will take effect in the next academic session.

Alausa further revealed that funding had been secured for the HOPE Education Programme aimed at expanding access to education, improving learning quality, and strengthening institutional capacity.

He said over 160,000 youths are currently receiving training in more than 1,200 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres nationwide, with over one million applications recorded in the latest phase.

He also highlighted ongoing digital reforms in the education sector, including the deployment of a cloud-based Annual School Census and the introduction of the Learner Identification Number (LIN) to promote data-driven planning, transparency, and accountability.

The minister reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to inclusive education, stressing that collaboration with states was being intensified to tackle the challenge of out-of-school children.

He noted that the Katsina Smart Model Secondary School would serve as a national benchmark for smart education and drive transformative reforms in Nigeria’s education sector.

In his remarks, Governor Radda disclosed that the vision for smart schools in Katsina was conceived over three decades ago and is now being realised through deliberate investment in modern, technology-driven education infrastructure.

“This initiative is a fulfilment of a long-standing vision to provide our children with the kind of education that prepares them not just for today, but for the future,” the governor stated.

Radda explained that the establishment of model schools across the state is rooted in his personal academic experience, emphasising that access to quality education remains a critical driver of excellence, innovation, and leadership among young people.

He described the Radda Model Secondary School as a major milestone under his administration’s agenda, noting that it represents not just physical infrastructure but a strategic investment in human capital development.

“This school is not just about buildings; it is about shaping minds, nurturing talents, and preparing a generation that will compete globally and drive innovation,” he said.

The governor recalled Katsina State’s long-standing reputation as a centre of learning and intellectual excellence, stressing that his administration is building on that legacy through targeted investments in science, technology, and innovation-driven education.

Meanwhile, the state has been plagued by security challenges that included banditry, kidnapping and rural displacement with farming communities worst hit as many residents fled their homes, affecting socio- economic activities. 

Recent report points to relative stability, with about 50 per cent of local government areas fully stabilised, 37 per cent showing improvement, and 13 per cent still at risk, according to a 2025 security progress report by the state’s Ministry of Internal Security.

Evident gains of reforms which included gradual return of farming and economic activities in affected communities are being linked to present government’s proactive interventions upon assumption of office.

These included creation of the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, alongside the Security Council Advisory Committee, which comprises traditional rulers, retired officers and civil society actors to integrate community perspectives into security planning.

Speaking at a media parley in Katsina recently, the Chief of Staff to the governor, AbdulKadir Mamman Nasir, added that Community Security Watch Corps, launched in 2023  has been pivotal in strengthening grassroots security.

According to him, the corps, comprising over 2,000 locally recruited personnel providing intelligence and first-line response in rural communities has caused improved early warning systems and community-based intelligence gathering.

Nasir said a combined efforts of community-based operatives and formal security agencies have led to the arrest of over 1,000 suspected informants and bandits. 

Recent criminal strikes after months of stability in the state have also been blamed on the compromise of some community members said to have frustrated the gains recorded through these interventions over time.

“The administration has also invested in logistics, including armoured vehicles, patrol trucks, motorcycles, and surveillance tools such as drones to improve mobility and situational awareness,” he revealed. 

He  stressed these internal measures have resulted in the restoration of government presence across the previously deserted wards.

“These wards had no civilian population before now, what we have done is to re-establish authority and confidence in those areas. As I speak to you today, there is no ungoverned space, not even ten square metres,” he stated. 

He further raised concerns over the spread of misinformation, which he said sometimes heightened unnecessary tension and undermined public trust.

He recalled an incident where a viral report of a bandit attack caused panic, but was later found to be false as the governor and his team were present in the same community at the time.

“We have consistently encouraged independent verification, urging people to rely on facts and firsthand assessment rather than unverified narratives,” he added.