Twenty public secondary schools in Ekiti State have received free internet routers and one-year data subscriptions in a new initiative aimed at improving digital learning and expanding students’ access to educational resources.
The intervention, sponsored by Focused Team Foundation with funding from UNICEF and implemented in partnership with MTN, is expected to help teachers and students access online learning materials, conduct research and explore educational opportunities beyond the traditional classroom.
Each beneficiary school received an internet router alongside a complimentary monthly data allowance, initially set at 30GB and subsequently increased to 32GB, for the duration of the one-year programme.
The initiative comes as digital technology continues to influence how students learn, research information and develop skills needed to participate effectively in an increasingly technology-driven world.
Speaking during the presentation in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, Ekiti State Commissioner for Education, Dr Olabimpe Aderiye, described reliable internet connectivity as an increasingly important component of modern teaching and learning.
Aderiye welcomed the intervention, noting that support from development partners and telecommunications companies would complement the state government’s existing efforts to strengthen digital education across public schools.
She explained that improved connectivity would give teachers and students greater access to knowledge, research materials and other educational resources that could enrich classroom instruction.
The commissioner also urged the beneficiary schools to ensure that the internet facilities were used primarily for teaching, learning and research rather than activities unrelated to their educational purpose.
She further stressed the importance of maintaining the equipment properly to ensure that the schools continued benefiting from the intervention throughout the subscription period.
According to the report by The Punch, the initiative aligns with the Ekiti State Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for effective teaching and preparing students for the demands of the digital age.
Among the beneficiary institutions are Ekiti State Government College in Ikere-Ekiti, Government College in Ado-Ekiti, Gbemisola Olowolafe Memorial Grammar School in Are-Ekiti and Ado Community High School.
Other schools included in the programme are All Souls Anglican High School, CAC High School and Corpus Christi College in Ilawe-Ekiti.
The selected institutions form part of the programme’s initial rollout, which is intended to test and expand access to internet-enabled learning across public secondary schools in the state.
MTN Senior Lead in the Sales and Trade Department, Isaiah Akinbaani, said the initiative was designed to improve internet connectivity in schools across Nigeria and make digital and real-life learning experiences more accessible to students.
He explained that better connectivity could help bridge knowledge gaps by exposing learners to information, educational materials and developments that might otherwise be difficult to access within their immediate communities.
The programme is also expected to give teachers additional resources for lesson preparation and instruction, potentially supporting more interactive approaches to classroom learning.
For students, access to online educational materials can create opportunities to explore subjects more deeply, supplement classroom lessons and develop digital research skills that are increasingly valuable in higher education and employment.
However, the benefits of providing internet access will depend partly on how effectively schools integrate the facilities into their teaching activities and ensure that students can use the available resources productively.
Schools will also need to manage the monthly data allowances carefully so that connectivity remains available for essential educational activities throughout the subscription period.
Akinbaani disclosed that the 20 schools represent the pilot phase of the programme, with plans to extend the initiative to additional schools across Ekiti State.
If the programme expands as planned, more students and teachers could gain access to digital resources, potentially strengthening technology-supported learning in public secondary schools.
The announcement also comes amid wider efforts to address barriers to digital education in Nigeria, where the affordability and availability of internet access can influence how easily learners use online educational platforms.
Although internet connectivity alone cannot resolve every challenge facing public education, combining reliable access with appropriate teaching methods, relevant learning materials and proper equipment maintenance could make digital tools more useful in everyday classroom activities.
The participation of a foundation, UNICEF and a telecommunications provider illustrates how partnerships involving development organisations and private companies can support education-related interventions alongside government initiatives.
The presence of government education officials at the presentation also highlighted the importance of coordinating such programmes with existing state education priorities.
Other officials present included the State Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Tope Akomolede, and the State Coordinator of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, Yewande Adesua.
With the first 20 schools now included in the initiative, attention will turn to how effectively the facilities are used and whether the programme can be extended to more public schools across Ekiti.
The initiative’s longer-term impact will depend on sustained connectivity, responsible use of the equipment and the ability of schools to translate internet access into measurable improvements in teaching and learning.