The Annual School Needs Expo (ASNE 2025) in Abuja ended on Thursday with a clear message from educators, policymakers, and private sector leaders: Nigeria’s education system needs a new focus on collaboration, inclusivity, and data-driven reform.
The convener of the event, Ms Emem Opashi, said the Expo was designed to bring all stakeholders together to chart a common path for improving education outcomes nationwide. Held under the theme “Education X: Breaking Conventional Boundaries”, the forum attracted participants from the public and private sectors, as well as development partners and technology firms working in education.
“Our focus is collaboration across industries and with key decision makers to move education forward from our different areas of strength,” Opashi said. She explained that while the government’s efforts to reform the sector were commendable, much of the progress remained anecdotal because of a lack of verifiable data.
“I cannot rate performance without data,” she said. “Until we have reliable statistics that show how far we have come, we can only commend intent. What gives hope is that these conversations are now happening publicly and intentionally.”
Opashi said the initiative was also about ensuring that children in public schools receive a quality of education comparable to their peers in private institutions. She called on participants to use platforms like ASNE to document challenges and build a shared database that could guide national policy.
Former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, who delivered the keynote address, provided a historical perspective on Nigeria’s education system, from the early missionary schools to today’s digital classrooms.
He commended the Universal Primary Education programme of 1976 and the Universal Basic Education scheme launched in 1999 as key milestones. However, he warned that an excessive focus on exams and rote learning had stifled creativity and problem-solving skills among young Nigerians.
“The colonial model gave us literacy and numeracy but also imposed memorisation over imagination,” Imoke said. “Globally, education has entered a revolution driven by technology, inclusion, and lifelong learning. Nigeria must not be left behind.”
He pointed to policies such as the National Digital Learning Policy of 2023 and the revised national curriculum as encouraging steps but urged that the country go beyond rhetoric. “Innovation is not about gadgets,” he said. “The real future is not artificial intelligence but augmented human intelligence. The goal is to empower teachers and students alike.”
Imoke, founder of the Bridge Leadership Foundation in Cross River State, said his organisation had demonstrated how collaboration could amplify results. The foundation, he said, partners with schools and private firms to train teachers, mentor students, and expand access to quality education for underserved communities.
Representing the private sector, Educare CEO Alex Onyia called for immediate action to prepare schools for a fully computer-based testing (CBT) environment. All major examination bodies, he noted, were moving toward exclusive digital assessment by 2026.
“Schools must roll out computer labs and familiarise learners with digital navigation and typing to avoid the technology shock we saw in JAMB 2024,” Onyia said through a company representative. “Digital readiness is no longer optional. It determines whether our students compete or fall behind.”
Onyia’s team recalled the mass failure caused by a system glitch in last year’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, noting that some students had to retake their exams after a forensic audit exposed the technical error.
“Educare’s platforms help schools automate their operations and simulate CBT environments for students to practice. We encourage schools to strengthen digital infrastructure and support learners so that no child is left behind,” the representative said.
Dr Odema, Director of the FCT Education Resource Centre, urged educators to balance digital advancement with inclusion and accountability. “Every child, regardless of gender, geography, or circumstance, deserves an unbroken pathway to learning,” she said. “Technology must be inclusive. Keep girls in school, include learners with disabilities, and protect children from economic barriers.”
She revealed that the new national curriculum would be fully tested in 2028, giving schools time to adapt and train teachers for its implementation. The Centre, she added, is partnering with UNESCO to strengthen teacher training and entrepreneurship programmes across the capital territory.
“As we leave here today, let us move from intention to action,” she said. “This conference must produce measurable results within 90 days. Together, we can shape an education system that nurtures talent and unlocks opportunity.”
The Expo closed with a renewed commitment from participants to deepen collaboration, document data, and ensure that reforms truly reflect the needs of the Nigerian child.
For Ms Opashi, that vision remains the heart of ASNE’s mission. “The Nigerian child must be at the core of every policy,” she said. “If we hold that principle, our reforms will outlive every government and truly transform our schools.”