By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The Universal Basic Education Commission has renovated 287 schools and more than 4,000 classrooms across Nigeria as part of a new approach aimed at improving the learning environment for pupils and teachers.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed the development in Abuja on Wednesday while commissioning renovated facilities at the Local Education Authority Junior Secondary School in Nyanya-Hausawa and the Model Girls' Junior Secondary School in Lugbe.
The commission said the new approach is designed to move beyond the construction or renovation of individual classrooms and instead address the wider infrastructure needs of schools.
The initiative covers facilities including classrooms, toilets, water supply, electricity, security, administrative buildings and learning resources.
UBEC ADOPTS WHOLE-SCHOOL APPROACH
Garba said UBEC is changing the way it plans infrastructure interventions by considering the entire school environment rather than focusing only on classroom construction.
Under the approach, schools receiving intervention are expected to have essential facilities required to support teaching and learning.
These include adequate classrooms, toilets, water, electricity, fencing, administrative facilities and recreational areas.
The commission has also introduced minimum standards for new school infrastructure.
The standards include perimeter fencing, security facilities, solar power, boreholes, toilets, classrooms, administrative blocks and playgrounds.
The objective is to ensure that government investment in school infrastructure creates environments where children can learn in safer and more functional conditions.
MORE THAN 4,000 CLASSROOMS RENOVATED
UBEC said more than 4,000 classrooms have been renovated across the country under the current intervention.
The 287 renovated schools are spread across different parts of Nigeria.
The commission's intervention is intended to address some of the infrastructure challenges that have affected basic education facilities over the years.
Poorly maintained classrooms, inadequate toilets and unreliable access to water and electricity can affect the daily experience of both pupils and teachers.
By combining several facilities within the same intervention, UBEC said it hopes to create more complete learning environments.
NYANYA-HAUSAWA SCHOOL BENEFITS
The Nyanya-Hausawa school was among the facilities inspected and commissioned during the latest programme.
The school serves children across different levels of education, including Early Childhood Care and Development, primary and secondary education.
The latest project covers three blocks containing about 30 classrooms and 48 toilets.
Solar-powered boreholes have also been provided to improve access to water within the school.
The intervention is intended to improve both teaching facilities and basic amenities available to pupils.
UBEC also said an administrative block is planned for the school as part of the broader development of the facility.
DIGITAL LEARNING FACILITIES EXPANDED
The commission is also incorporating technology into some of its infrastructure projects.
Garba said UBEC had established 74 digital learning centres under its latest intervention and had created more than 2,000 digital learning centres under the current administration.
The centres are equipped with computers, smart boards, solar panels, printers, scanners and internet connectivity.
They are also designed to provide teachers and pupils with access to online and offline educational materials.
The introduction of digital learning facilities is intended to expose pupils to technology while providing teachers with additional resources that can support classroom instruction.
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A DIGITAL FUTURE
Technology has become increasingly important in education as schools adapt to changes in the workplace and the wider economy.
Digital skills can help pupils access educational resources, conduct research and develop familiarity with tools that are increasingly used in professional environments.
However, digital infrastructure is only useful when schools also have reliable electricity, adequate facilities and teachers who can use the technology effectively.
UBEC's whole-school approach therefore combines digital learning facilities with improvements to basic infrastructure.
This includes water, sanitation, electricity and physical learning spaces.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BASIC FACILITIES
A school building is more than a collection of classrooms.
Pupils require access to safe toilets, clean water and an environment that supports concentration and learning.
Teachers also need appropriate working spaces and basic facilities to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
The new UBEC approach recognises these interconnected requirements.
By addressing several infrastructure needs at the same time, the commission says it can provide more sustainable improvements than interventions that focus on only one facility.
CHALLENGES REMAIN
Despite the latest renovations, Nigeria still faces significant education infrastructure needs.
The country has a large and growing school-age population, creating continuing demand for classrooms, teachers, learning materials and other facilities.
Some schools also require maintenance after infrastructure projects are completed.
Ensuring that renovated facilities remain functional will therefore require regular maintenance by relevant authorities and school communities.
The expansion of digital facilities creates additional requirements, including equipment maintenance, internet access and the development of teachers' digital skills.
SUPPORTING BASIC EDUCATION
UBEC's mandate is focused on supporting basic education across Nigeria.
The commission's infrastructure interventions are intended to complement other efforts aimed at increasing school enrolment and improving learning outcomes.
Providing better facilities can help make schools more attractive and accessible to children, particularly in communities where infrastructure has deteriorated.
However, infrastructure is only one component of education quality.
Teacher availability, teacher training, learning materials, school management and adequate funding also influence the quality of education pupils receive.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The commission's latest intervention indicates a shift toward more comprehensive school development.
Instead of treating classroom construction as the primary measure of infrastructure improvement, UBEC is incorporating water, sanitation, power, security, digital facilities and other components into its planning.
If maintained and expanded effectively, the approach could provide schools with more of the basic conditions required for effective teaching and learning.
The commissioning of the renovated facilities in Abuja also provides an example of how the approach is being implemented at individual school level.
IMPROVING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The renovation of 287 schools and more than 4,000 classrooms represents a significant infrastructure intervention in Nigeria's basic education sector.
The addition of digital learning centres, solar power, water facilities and improved sanitation also reflects the changing needs of Nigerian schools.
For pupils, the immediate benefit is a more functional environment in which to learn.
For teachers, improved facilities can provide better conditions for carrying out their work.
The broader challenge will be ensuring that the infrastructure is maintained and that improvements in physical facilities are matched by investment in teachers, learning resources and educational quality.
As UBEC continues its intervention programmes, the whole-school approach places greater emphasis on creating complete learning environments rather than simply adding classrooms.