The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has reaffirmed its readiness to equip pupils with essential skills in emerging technologies, including design thinking, robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to prepare them for the rapidly changing world.
National Coordinator of UBEC Digital Resource Centre, Prof. Bashir Galadanci, stated this at a workshop focused on reviewing the curriculum for design thinking, robotics, and AI (DTCRA).
The event brought together educators and stakeholders to review and refine the DTCRA curriculum, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness in equipping students with necessary skills required to thrive in the 21st century.
Galadanci said by integrating DTCRA into the basic education curriculum, UBEC seeks to foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and problem-solving among young learners.
He said this approach would enable students’ develop essential skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, and digital literacy, which are crucial for success in an increasingly technology-driven world.
He restated the commission’s commitment to promoting digital literacy and technological proficiency among primary school pupils, saying this underscores its recognition of the critical role that technology plays in shaping the future of education and the workforce.
He said: “By providing students with early exposure to emerging technologies, the commission is poised to empower the next generation of leaders, innovators and change-makers.”
The workshop, which was co-hosted by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), also focused on integrating cutting-edge technologies into basic education curricula.
In her welcome remarks, the Head of Capacity building at UBEC Digital Resource Centre, Dr Hafsat Kontagora, informed participants that the workshop was designed to introduce educators and professionals to innovative methods for integrating DTCRA into the basic education curricula.
The event focused on fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills among learners by leveraging AI-driven robotics and coding modules, thus equipping educators with practical tools for effective implementation in smart schools.
During the workshop, UBEC officials, teachers and administrators from smart schools were guided by NERDC to critically analyse and review the earlier developed DTRCA and design a teachers’ guide.
Workshop sessions covered key topics such as the philosophy of the DTCRA curriculum, application of robotics frameworks, and the role of emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Virtual Labs (VL).
Participants also deliberated on competency-based assessments and continuous feedback mechanisms for improved student engagement and learning outcomes.
