Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to implementing education policies tailored to meet societal needs and equip students with practical skills for real-world challenges.
Governor Oyebanji gave the assurance at the weekend while receiving a delegation from South Korea led by the Deputy Country Director of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Baik Ki-Hyyn, who was in the state to conduct an in-depth survey of the Smart School Project.
According to a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, the governor noted that his administration is strategically leveraging smart technology in the education sector to enhance critical thinking, boost creativity, and prepare students as problem-solvers capable of contributing to the development of the state and the nation.
He expressed appreciation to the South Korean government for its collaboration, stating that his administration has made substantial investments in education, not merely for literacy and numeracy, but for holistic human capital development aimed at making citizens globally competitive.
Governor Oyebanji affirmed that the state would continue to maintain its position as a front-runner in smart education technologies across all levels of learning—primary, secondary, and tertiary.
“We appreciate KOICA 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 have an abiding duty to ensure that we sustain that prime place,” he said.
“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. There is no alternative to knowledge.
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“We also believe strongly that our education strategy and policy must address literacy and numeracy, and they must also respond to the needs of the society,” he added.
In his remarks, KOICA Deputy Country Director, Baik Ki-Hyyn, commended Governor Oyebanji for his dedication to promoting education through innovative and forward-looking policies.
He noted that Ekiti State had distinguished itself among the six states selected for the Smart School Project launched in 2021, and praised the state government’s efforts in driving educational advancement.
Baik further disclosed that the South Korean government was willing to partner on a second phase of the intervention under the Universal Basic Education Board, aimed at boosting the capacity of existing schools and expanding access to underserved and rural communities.
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