Two hundred public school teachers in Osun State have been trained in digital literacy as part of efforts to strengthen the use of technology in classrooms and improve access to digital learning resources.

The training aimed to equip primary and secondary school teachers with digital skills and tools to enhance teaching and learning in their respective schools.

Speaking at the officially launch the Digital Literacy Training and School Connectivity Programme organised by IHS Nigeria Limited, in partnership with UNICEF, with implementation support from Focus Teens Foundation, held on Tuesday in Ede, Muritala Jimoh, the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Education, said that 40 primary schools and 60 secondary schools were selected by the UNICEF with two representatives from each school.

Jimoh said that Osun officially joined the Nigeria Learning Passport platform in December 2024 and had since integrated it across both primary and secondary schools, giving students access to curriculum-based materials online and offline.

He expressed optimism that the participants would return to their respective schools and help cascade the knowledge gained to their colleagues and students, adding “we want our students to be able to compete globally. Digital literacy opens up their thinking and allows them to explore education in new ways.”

Also speaking, Titilope Oguntuga, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria Limited, said the initiative would not only connect schools to reliable digital infrastructure but would also enable access to the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP)—a powerful e-learning platform that equips both teachers and students with quality resources for continuous learning.

Oguntuga, who was represented by Tolulope Oyenuga, Manager, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria Limited, said the initiative would also help the students to acquire skills that would empower them to participate actively in tomorrow’s economy.

She said, “Today is more than a program launch—it is a collective investment in the future. A commitment to empowering students, supporting teachers, and strengthening communities through improved access to technology and essential digital skills.”

Also, Olaonipekun Kazeem, the Executive Director of Focus Teens Foundation, said the whole idea was to bridge the digital gap in education and ensure that all schools are digitally connected before 2030 according to UNICEF mandate.

Kazeem, who said the training was part of a broader connectivity initiative support of IHS Nigeria Limited in partnership with UNICEF, said that routers would be distributed to 100 schools and each would receive free, unlimited data.

He said, “Once the routers are installed and SIMs activated, schools will have the digital access they need to explore learning platforms. We’re also ensuring that each school has at least two trained personnel to guide proper usage and maintenance.”

Kazeem explained that the programme was the first phase of a broader scheme, which would be extended to Kwara, Abia, Jigawa, and Nasarawa States.

One of the participating teachers, Ajiboye Abayomi Mayowa from Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be part of the training, describing it as timely and essential for modern education.

“Teaching and learning activities are more than paper and pencil these days. We need to go online to teach our students so that they’ll be relevant with what’s going on in the world, so that Osun State won’t be left out of the entire globe,” he said.