The Osun State Government has unveiled plans to upgrade operations in its nine technical colleges by equipping both teachers and students with digital skills for enhanced teaching and learning. The initiative marks a significant step in preparing the state’s technical education sector for the challenges and opportunities of the modern era.
This disclosure was made on Tuesday in Osogbo by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical and Vocational Education, Adedapo Ademola-Adesina, during the opening session of Osun Teacher-Shift 2025. The programme is designed to transform technical and vocational schoolteachers into digital-ready educators capable of driving innovation in the classroom.
The project, sponsored by IHS Nigeria and implemented by Focus Teens Foundation in collaboration with the Osun State Board of Technical and Vocational Education, will directly impact about 200 teachers across the state’s nine technical colleges. According to the organisers, the training will empower educators with tools to teach in line with global digital standards.
Ademola-Adesina explained that the training would be conducted in batches over a two-day period, ensuring that participants acquire modern teaching strategies and innovative classroom techniques. He noted that technical education cannot thrive without continuous investment in both infrastructure and human resources.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, he stressed that teachers remain the backbone of any educational reform. “We must begin by changing the mindset of our teachers. They are the ones who shape future leaders. That is why we tagged the program Osun Teacher-Shift 2025 shifting from the old ways to new digital teaching,” he said.
The special adviser further emphasized the state government’s belief in private-sector collaboration as a vital tool for achieving its goals in technical and vocational education. He explained that the partnership with IHS Nigeria reflects Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to leveraging public-private partnerships for educational transformation.
Speaking earlier, the Director of Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, underscored the broader vision of the programme. She described it as more than just training, but a movement aimed at rethinking how teachers, students, and communities prepare for a rapidly evolving world.
“Today is not just the launch of a programme it is the beginning of a movement. This is more than training, it is a mindset shift. It is about rethinking how we prepare teachers, students, and our communities for the opportunities and challenges of a fast-evolving world,” Oguntuga said.
She added that education remains the strongest catalyst for national development, but warned that the nation cannot achieve sustainable progress without first empowering those who empower the next generation. According to her, teachers must be equipped with the skills to inspire innovation and creativity among their students.
“With this programme, teachers and beneficiaries from the nine technical colleges will begin to think more innovatively and incorporate new systems that support STEM for the advancement of our nation,” she explained. Oguntuga also called for stronger investments in teacher capacity development as a foundation for long-term national growth.
The initiative has been widely welcomed in Osun State, with education stakeholders describing it as a timely intervention that would enhance the competitiveness of students in technical colleges. Observers note that as Nigeria strives to build a knowledge-based economy, equipping teachers with digital skills has become a non-negotiable priority.
With the successful rollout of Osun Teacher-Shift 2025, the state government hopes to set a model for other states in Nigeria, proving that strategic partnerships between government and private stakeholders can unlock transformative opportunities in the education sector.
