Education minister Maruf Tunji Àlausa commissioned the Ogbo Central Smart School in Ubakala, a facility built by the Abia State Government to give students access to world-class learning resources. The minister praised Governor Alex Otti for prioritising education and human capital development across the state.
Àlausa told reporters that real development goes beyond roads and bridges. "Sustainable progress rests on deliberate investments in education and building the intellectual capacity of our people," he said.
The minister highlighted the governor's vision during his remarks at the commissioning. "When a governor commits to building not just one or two smart schools, but ten or twenty, that's a leader who truly cares," Àlausa noted.
He painted a picture of what students would gain from the new facilities. Pupils in Abia would sit in classrooms with the same educational materials available to students in America and London, he explained, adding that they'd learn artificial intelligence skills right here in their communities.
"Five or ten years from now, Abia will lead the world," the minister declared.
Governor Otti announced in his speech titled "Tomorrow is the Reward" that this is the first of three smart schools to be commissioned this month across Abia's senatorial districts. He revealed plans for 17 additional smart schools, one in each local government area.
The governor stated that all 20 smart schools will be operational by year's end. Each facility will have interactive boards, and every student—300 per school, arranged in classrooms of 30—will receive a tablet to enhance their learning.
Otti described the moment as marking Abia's entry into a technology-driven educational era. "We're moving beyond the old model where students attend school, collect certificates, and then search for jobs," he said.
The governor's administration, he explained, aims to produce educated and visionary leaders equipped to develop Abia's untapped resources for widespread prosperity. "This is the model we see working successfully elsewhere in the world," Otti told the gathering.
He made clear that education in the smart schools will be free and compulsory for all pupils. The governor also warned against teachers demanding illegal payments and cautioned anyone considering vandalising school property.
Otti responded to requests from the President General of Ubakala Improvement Union during the event. He directed his Commissioner for Works to install speed limit signs on the Ubakala road to improve safety in the area.
