In a significant push for educational reform, the Enugu State Government is intensifying its efforts to train over 18,000 public school teachers in preparation for the September 2025 resumption of Smart Green Schools across the state. This comprehensive training program, with its first phase already concluded, aims to equip educators with the skills needed for a modern, technology-driven learning environment.
Professor Ndubueze Mbah, the state’s Commissioner for Education, announced at a recent seminar that both newly recruited and existing teachers are undergoing rigorous training in digital literacy and 21st-century instructional methods. This initiative is central to Governor Peter Mbah’s administration’s commitment to repositioning education through innovation and technology.
“We are ushering in a new era where learners are equipped not just with facts, but with applicable knowledge and skills relevant in the modern world,” Professor Mbah stated, emphasizing the shift from traditional rote memorization to experiential and interactive learning models. He stressed that equipping teachers with this “requisite knowledge” is essential for the strategic pedagogical changes.
The Smart Green Schools program, a flagship initiative of the Mbah administration, integrates digital tools, smart classrooms, and new subjects into the basic education system. The teacher training also covers Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), designed to empower students with practical skills for entrepreneurship and employability.
To ensure quality, the administration previously conducted a computer-based Content Specialty Test and Digital Literacy Assessment in August 2024, where only 16 per cent of 17,620 applicants met the benchmark. Those who passed, along with 18,052 existing teachers, then underwent the intensive digital training that formed Phase 1.
Looking ahead, the state government is partnering with local governments to commence Phase 2 of the teacher training. This next phase will focus more intensely on the classroom application of digital tools and continuous professional development for teachers in both rural and urban areas. Professor Mbah added that more advanced training and evaluations will be conducted before the September resumption, aligning with the Enugu State Teachers Professional Development Policy and the broader Education Transformation Plan 2025–2035.
Professor Mbah highlighted that the Smart Green Schools and TVET programs are designed not only to make students globally competitive but also to empower them as local problem-solvers. “Our students will not just consume knowledge; they will create it, apply it, and profit from it,” he affirmed. He lauded Governor Mbah for his unwavering commitment to education, noting that Enugu now boasts the highest subnational education budget in the country, a clear indication of the governor’s understanding that “the future of any state lies in the quality of its education.”
