The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) says it is supporting Nigeria’s education sector by integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Apart from the ICT integration, Japan will also be supporting in the areas of curriculum development, and teacher training, representatives of JICA said during a meeting with Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, Nigeria’s Minister of Education.
During a meeting with representatives of JICA, the Minister of Education emphasises the need for development partners to align their projects with Nigeria’s national education priorities.
“We must work together to fix our country’s educational system,” Dr. Alausa states. “The era of working in isolation is gone. We need collaborative efforts to ensure that our investments yield measurable results.”
While commending JICA’s interventions, the Minister stresses the need to expand these efforts by incorporating the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). “JICA’s new interventions are commendable. However, we must scale up these efforts by incorporating UBEC to ensure that at least one effective school is established in each of the 36 states,” he adds.
Dr. Alausa also highlights the importance of ICT integration in teacher training and learning outcomes. He proposes that teachers under the Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE) project receive training in ICT-equipped effective school locations to ensure synergy.
JICA’s Chief Representative, Mr. Yuzurio Susumu, reaffirms the agency’s commitment to Nigeria’s education sector, highlighting its interventions in ICT integration, curriculum development, and teacher training.
Mr. Nwanya Stephen, JICA Nigeria’s Programme Coordinator for Education, also outlines the agency’s ongoing efforts in teacher development, social mobilisation, and school infrastructure improvements.
To further this collaboration, Dr. Alausa announced plans for a high-level meeting in April involving JICA, UBEC, and the Ministry of Education to finalise a joint financing strategy for nationwide implementation.
“The upcoming meeting in April will serve as a platform to finalise collaborative strategies for scaling up the effective school model across all 36 states, ensuring long-term sustainability and nationwide impact,” the Minister says.
JICA’s impact in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem
Beyond education, JICA has played a vital role in Nigeria’s digital transformation through its collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The agency has previously sponsored Nigerian startups to participate in tech exhibitions and conferences across Africa and the Middle East. This resulted in training for 112 startup founders from 56 companies and the creation of over 300 direct jobs in Nigeria, according to JICA.
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