The Government has launched a multi-year Accelerated Senior Secondary Education Programme (ASSEP) to overhaul school infrastructure, modernize curricula and integrate virtual learning technologies.
The initiative is a major policy drive to bridge the educational gap in the country, beginning from the North-East region.
Unveiling the initiative in Bauchi State at the weekend, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the programme aims to rapidly upgrade secondary education across three core pillars, including enhancing access to tertiary institutions, imparting market-relevant skills, and upskilling teachers to stay ahead of disruptive innovations like artificial intelligence.
He emphasised that the initiative directly addresses President Bola Tinubu’s vision to confront the multifaceted challenges in the Northeast.
The Vice President noted that the vast disparity in quality of life between those who embrace education and those who do not – served as a glaring and lasting reminder of the profound benefits education provides.
Stating that surveys were needed to highlight this difference, as it is evident across all facets of society, VP Shettima pointed out that the North-East sub-region, in particular, had been a victim of the collective failure to implement uniform policies driving school enrolment.
This, he added, was compounded by the persistent cultural aversion to formal education among various communities in the region.
He assured that under the new scheme, government would stimulate high-quality instruction, incentivize STEM achievement, revamp dilapidated classrooms to modern specifications, and cultivate an enriching academic environment through innovations like quiz competitions, exam coaching camps and intensive teacher training.