Gov. Mbah Says Enugu Needed a Fundamental Transformation of Its Education System, Not Incremental Repairs.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform — October 8, 2026
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has explained that his administration chose to build new Smart Green Schools across the state rather than simply renovate existing school facilities because the government sought to achieve a fundamental transformation of the education system.
Mbah made the clarification on Wednesday at the 2026 Enugu Education Summit and the unveiling of the Enugu Education Policy at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
The Governor said the administration, on assuming office, considered the option of repairing existing schools, renovating classrooms, providing desks and introducing computers, but concluded that such an approach would amount to incremental improvement rather than the comprehensive transformation Enugu needed.
According to him, the critical question was whether an education system largely designed for the needs of decades ago could adequately prepare Enugu children for the demands of the future.
Mbah said the answer was no, prompting the administration to rethink the state’s education model and pursue a new generation of schools equipped to support modern, technology-driven and experiential learning.
“What we have attempted in Enugu is, therefore, not a collection of education projects. It is a change in the entire development model – a quantum leap,” Mbah said.
The administration’s Smart Green School programme provides for schools designed to combine modern infrastructure with digital learning, science and technology, practical skills development and environmentally responsible facilities.
The state’s education work plan provides for 260 Smart Green Schools, one in each political ward, with facilities including digitally connected classrooms, ICT centres, science laboratories, robotics and artificial intelligence facilities, libraries, creativity studios and renewable-energy systems.
Mbah also said the location of the schools was deliberate, stressing that the initiative was designed to ensure that children in communities that had historically faced geographical and socioeconomic disadvantages could gain access to quality education.
He disclosed that the state had invested 33 per cent of its annual budget in education for three consecutive years, while building 268 Smart Green Schools and more than 7,000 classrooms equipped with 21st-century learning tools, according to the state government.
Beyond physical infrastructure, the Governor said the education reform was intended to shift learners away from excessive reliance on memorisation towards critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, digital capability and practical application of knowledge.
He argued that education must ultimately prepare young people to participate productively in society and help Nigeria transition from a consumption-driven economy to a creation economy, where young people can research, design, engineer and develop solutions.
The Governor also unveiled the Enugu State Education Policy, which he said would serve as a benchmark for the state’s education sector over the next six to 10 years.
The summit, themed “Transforming Education for the Future: Leadership, Innovation, Partnership, Financing and Sustainable Reform,” attracted education stakeholders and development partners, including UNICEF, UNESCO and the British Council.
UNICEF and UNESCO commended Enugu’s education investments, including the Smart Green Schools, while the British Council expressed its readiness to continue supporting the state in translating its education policies into improved classroom outcomes.
The event also featured a tour of the Smart Green School Innovation Studio, showcasing innovations developed by students of the state’s Smart Green Schools.
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