Susan Abayomi
A new generation of young teachers is driving a shift in classroom learning across parts of Northern Nigeria by adopting digital tools, artificial intelligence and more interactive teaching methods.
The transformation is being led by educators who have traditionally worked with limited resources but are increasingly using technology to make lessons more engaging and easier for students to understand.
Among them is Jemina Idris Bakari, a Basic Science teacher at Government Day Secondary School Central in Jalingo, Taraba State, who recently completed a 16-week digital capacity-building programme alongside thousands of other teachers.
Bakari and 4,702 other educators graduated from the MTN SAIL Teachers’ Fellowship programme at a ceremony held at the MTN Rooftop in Lagos on September 10, 2026.
The programme was designed to strengthen teachers’ digital skills and expose them to artificial intelligence and contemporary approaches to teaching.
For Bakari, the training has provided practical tools for addressing some of the difficulties associated with teaching complex subjects, particularly in schools where learning resources are limited.
She explained that AI has helped her generate lesson ideas and break down difficult scientific concepts into simpler forms that students can understand.
Another beneficiary, 32-year-old Dorcas Oluwadara Dairo, who teaches Mathematics at Government Boys Science Secondary School in Kaduna State, said the use of technology has changed the way she approaches classroom instruction.
According to her, Mathematics students previously struggled to remain engaged when lessons relied heavily on traditional chalk-and-board methods. The introduction of digital tools has, however, enabled her to present difficult topics in more accessible and interactive ways.
The impact is also being reflected in students’ participation and academic engagement.
Teachers who participated in the programme reported that students are becoming more involved in classroom discussions and are increasingly willing to explore topics beyond what is taught during lessons.
The use of AI has also enabled teachers to prepare lesson notes more efficiently while providing additional ways of explaining abstract subjects.
For educators working in underserved communities, the development represents more than a professional milestone. It offers an opportunity to take newly acquired skills back to their schools and extend the benefits of digital learning to students who may otherwise have limited access to modern educational resources.
Bakari described her graduation as both a personal achievement and a responsibility to her school and community, stressing the importance of applying the knowledge gained from the programme to create positive change.
The growing adoption of technology by young teachers highlights the role digital skills can play in strengthening public education, particularly in communities where teachers continue to operate with limited conventional resources.
As more educators acquire these skills, the classroom in Northern Nigeria is gradually evolving from a predominantly traditional learning environment into one where technology, creativity and interactive teaching can play a greater role in helping students learn.
