Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to implementing education policies specifically designed to address the evolving needs of society and equip students with practical skills essential for navigating real-world challenges.
The governor made this declaration during a meeting held at his office over the weekend with a delegation from South Korea, led by the Koika Deputy Country Director, Mr Baik Ki-Hyyn.
The South Korean delegation was in Ekiti State to conduct an in-depth survey of the ongoing Smart School Project in the state.
According to a statement released to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, March 23, 2025, by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, Governor Oyebanji emphasised his administration’s strategic focus on leveraging smart technology within the education sector. This approach, he explained, aims to equip Ekiti students with the necessary skills, foster enhanced critical thinking and creativity, and ultimately cultivate solution providers.
The governor stressed his vision of ensuring that graduates from Ekiti State are well-prepared to tackle contemporary challenges and make significant contributions to the overall development of both the state and Nigeria as a whole.
Governor Oyebanji expressed his sincere gratitude to the South Korean government for their valuable partnership in the Smart School Project.
He highlighted the substantial investments his administration has made in education, emphasising a focus not only on literacy and numeracy but also on comprehensive human capital development aimed at making Ekiti citizens globally competitive in terms of productivity.
The governor further assured the South Korean delegation that his government would continue to prioritise and support initiatives that solidify Ekiti State’s position as a leading state in the adoption of smart technology for education across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of learning in the country.
“We appreciate Koika for the partnership with UBEC that birthed the smart schools in Ekiti State. Education is our main industry; we are one of the most educated states in the country, and we also have an abiding duty to ensure that we sustain that prime place in the country,” Governor Oyebanji stated.
He further linked his administration’s educational focus to his broader governance agenda, saying, “If you look at the six pillars of our administration, you will see human capital development in number three, and since we came on board, we have been deliberate in our intervention in that sector because we believe that education holds the key to development and growth, and there is no alternative to knowledge.
“We also believe strongly that our education strategy and policy must address literacy and numeracy, and they must also respond to the needs of society.”
Earlier in the meeting, Mr Baik Ki-Hyyn, the Head of the Delegation and Koika Deputy Country Director, commended Governor Oyebanji for his strong commitment to advancing education through innovative policies.
He noted that Ekiti State had demonstrated exceptional progress among the six states selected for the Smart School Project, which was launched in 2021.
The Country Director lauded the Ekiti State Government’s dedication to the education sector, expressing the South Korean Government’s keen interest in embarking on the second phase of the intervention under the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC). This next phase would aim to further improve the capacity of existing schools and facilitate educational outreach to underserved and rural communities within the state.
Key government officials present at the meeting included the Chief of Staff, Mr Niyi Adebayo; the Commissioner for Education, Dr (Mrs.) Olabimpe Aderiye; the Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Femi Akiwunmi; the SUBEB Commissioner for Human Resources Management, Dr (Mrs.) Olufunke Fajobi; and the SUBEB Commissioner for Project Management, Dr Kayode Adeoye, among others.
