The Ondo State Government has expanded its digital education programme to 50 public secondary schools as part of efforts to prepare teachers and students for a technology-driven learning system.
According to The Punch, The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, announced the development on Friday during the grand finale of the fourth Digital Quiz Competition for secondary schools in Akure. The state organised the competition in partnership with Quickens Computer Limited, an information and communication technology firm.
Ajibefun said the government had continued to invest in digital education through teacher training, equipment supply and programmes designed to improve students’ technological skills. He explained that teachers trained under the initiative would pass the knowledge to their students, allowing the programme to reach more learners across the state.
“The state government is investing heavily in digital education, with the training of our teachers and students in preparation for the digitalisation of our education system,” he said. “The training is a continuous process.”
Ondo digital education programme trains teachers
The commissioner said ICT teachers in public schools recently completed a one-week training programme organised with the state’s technical partners. According to him, the exercise began in 2025 and would continue as the government moves towards the wider digitalisation of secondary education.
Ajibefun noted that training teachers remained one of the most effective ways to improve students’ digital literacy. He said the teachers would return to their schools and transfer the knowledge gained during the programme to their students.
“For the students, when you train the teachers, indirectly you are training the students because the teachers will return to train them,” he said.
The former Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, also disclosed that one of the state’s technical partners had supplied computer equipment to 50 public secondary schools. He said the distribution took place about three weeks earlier in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
“Digital equipment has been supplied to our educational institutions, particularly secondary schools,” Ajibefun said. “One of our technical partners, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, supplied computer equipment to 50 public schools in the state.”
Quiz competition promotes digital literacy
Speaking on the Digital Quiz Competition, the commissioner said the initiative was created to promote academic excellence, encourage healthy competition and expose students to the demands of the modern digital economy.
He said technology had become central to national development, innovation and problem-solving, making digital skills essential for young people who hoped to compete in the 21st century.
“The world is rapidly evolving into a digital society where knowledge, innovation and technological skills have become indispensable tools for national development,” Ajibefun said.
He added that the government wanted students to see technology as more than a tool for entertainment or consumption. According to him, young people should learn to use digital platforms to create solutions, develop new ideas and contribute meaningfully to society.
“The Digital Quiz Competition was conceived to promote digital literacy, stimulate academic excellence, encourage healthy competition among schools and prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century,” he said.
Ministry targets critical thinking and innovation
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Akindele Ige, described the competition as a platform for developing critical thinking, creativity, innovation and digital literacy among secondary school students.
Ige said programmes of that nature would equip young people with the knowledge and values required to succeed in an increasingly technology-dependent world.
“The Ondo State Digital Quiz Competition is more than an academic contest,” he said. “It is a platform for nurturing critical thinking, creativity, innovation and digital literacy among our young learners.”
Schools that participated in the competition included Fiwasaye Girls’ Secondary School, Akure; Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure; and Greater Tomorrow Secondary School, Arigidi Akoko.
The Ondo digital education programme forms part of the government’s wider plan to modernise teaching and learning while giving students greater access to computers and practical technological skills.
