The National Association of Polytechnic Students has urged the Federal Government and key education agencies to prioritise the introduction of Artificial Intelligence-powered classrooms across polytechnics and colleges of technology nationwide.
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, NAPS President, Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, said Nigeria’s polytechnic education system must urgently adopt modern digital technologies to remain globally competitive.
The association specifically appealed to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the National Board for Technical Education and the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria to integrate the EDON Digital Classroom Initiative into future intervention programmes.
Oghayan lamented that many polytechnics across the country still depend on outdated teaching methods, conventional chalkboards and inadequate practical learning facilities despite the global transition toward Artificial Intelligence, automation and smart technologies.
According to him, the EDON Digital Classroom Initiative features advanced learning tools including 98-inch interactive smart boards, embedded AI teaching systems, 3D animation simulation software and smart classroom analytics technology designed to enhance technical and vocational education.
“The global economy is rapidly advancing toward Artificial Intelligence, robotics, automation, digital manufacturing and Industry 4.0 technologies. Polytechnic education must evolve to remain relevant in this changing world,” he stated.
The NAPS president explained that AI-driven classrooms would allow students to engage in virtual practical simulations, better understand complex engineering concepts and improve their digital literacy, innovation and technical skills.
He added that the initiative would expose students to globally recognised learning technologies while strengthening entrepreneurship and employability among graduates.
Oghayan further revealed that representatives of the association recently visited some colleges of education where the digital classroom solution had reportedly been deployed, noting improvements in classroom engagement, teaching efficiency and lecturer productivity.
According to him, intervention from TETFund remains the most practical and sustainable pathway for nationwide implementation, especially as many institutions lack the financial capacity to independently execute large-scale digital transformation projects.
He noted that adopting the initiative through TETFund programmes would help ensure equal access to smart learning infrastructure for students across all regions of the country.
The NAPS president also described EDON as an indigenous educational technology solution capable of promoting local innovation and contributing to Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
The association appealed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support the initiative as part of efforts to advance digital transformation in the education sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
NAPS further called for urgent collaboration among government agencies, education stakeholders and institutional leaders to modernise polytechnic education and prepare Nigerian students for the future global economy.
