About 600 pupils of Race Course Model Primary School in Kano have received a major boost to their digital education following the opening of a new information and communication technology centre donated by ABUMET.
The centre, equipped with 24 desktop computers, solar-powered electricity and classroom furniture, is expected to give pupils greater access to practical computer education and introduce them to digital tools that are increasingly becoming part of everyday learning and work.
The intervention was carried out by ABUMET, a Nigerian company in the glass and aluminium solutions sector, as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.
For pupils who may previously have had limited opportunities to work directly with computers, the new facility provides a practical environment where they can develop basic digital skills instead of learning about technology only from textbooks.
The development is particularly significant as Nigeria continues to face gaps in digital infrastructure, internet access and digital literacy. UNICEF Nigeria reported that only 36 per cent of the population was using the internet, while 78 per cent of young people lacked digital literacy skills in data published in 2025.
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What the new ICT centre means for the pupils
The new facility is designed to make computer education more practical for pupils at Race Course Model Primary School.
According to the school, pupils are being organised into smaller groups so that more children can have time with the computers during practical lessons. They are learning basic applications, including Microsoft Office, while developing skills in typing, calculations, record keeping and information management.
The school currently has about 600 pupils spread across 14 classrooms and provides education from Early Childhood Care and Education to Primary Six. Subjects taught include Mathematics, English Language, Basic Science, Basic Technology, Nigerian History, Arabic and Digital Literacy.
The Head Teacher, Salisu Alhassan, said the project would strengthen teaching and learning, particularly in digital literacy.
Rather than limiting computer education to simply knowing how to operate a machine, the school wants pupils to understand how technology can support learning, solve problems and assist with everyday activities.
This approach matters because digital competence is becoming increasingly important before children reach secondary school. Early exposure can help pupils become more comfortable with computers and digital learning platforms as their education becomes more advanced.
Why solar power is an important part of the project
One of the most practical aspects of the new ICT centre is its solar-powered electricity system.
For a computer laboratory, having the computers available is only one part of the equation. Reliable electricity is equally important. Power interruptions can make it difficult for schools to maintain regular practical sessions and can limit the usefulness of expensive digital equipment.
The solar installation is therefore expected to provide a more dependable source of electricity for the centre, allowing pupils to use the computers without relying entirely on conventional power supply.
The project also reflects a wider challenge facing digital education in Nigeria. UNICEF has identified limited and unaffordable access to electricity and broadband, alongside inadequate digital infrastructure, as barriers to expanding digital learning across the country.
Kano is also pursuing broader education and skills initiatives. The state’s 2026 budget performance document includes plans involving mobile learning centres, vocational skills facilities and computer-based testing centres, showing that digital access and skills development remain part of the state’s education agenda.
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Back story: Race Course school and the push for digital literacy
The latest intervention comes against the background of previous efforts to improve ICT facilities at Race Course Model Primary School.
In 2023, the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board reported that the school had an ICT centre whose wiring needed attention to enable pupils to make better use of the facility. The report followed a visit by the then Executive Chairman of the state education board.
ABUMET’s latest project therefore goes beyond placing computers in a classroom. The addition of solar power, furniture and practical digital learning resources addresses several of the conditions needed for an ICT centre to function effectively.
ABUMET General Manager, Diemo Schillack, said the company wanted the intervention to help reduce the digital gap and give children an opportunity to develop skills for the future.
He also said the company plans to return within a year to assess the pupils’ progress and examine the impact of the centre.
For the school, that follow-up could be just as important as the opening itself. A functioning ICT centre needs regular use, maintenance, appropriate teaching and continued support to deliver lasting benefits.
The development at Race Course Model Primary School offers a simple but important lesson about digital education in Nigeria. Providing computers can open the door, but ensuring children regularly use them, have electricity to power them and receive proper guidance is what can turn equipment into meaningful digital learning.
For the roughly 600 pupils expected to benefit, the new centre could become a place where computer education moves from theory to practice and where young learners begin developing skills that will increasingly matter in their academic and professional lives.
