The Federal Government has introduced a virtual teaching programme to provide pupils in underserved communities with access to qualified teachers, particularly in schools facing shortages of subject instructors.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, explaining that the initiative, known as Inspire Live, would enable pupils in primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools to participate in live, interactive lessons delivered remotely.
Alausa said the platform covers all subjects in the national curriculum, including English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, Civic Education, Nigerian History, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
Using Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State as an example, the minister explained that pupils in schools without English Language teachers could connect to live lessons according to a centrally prepared timetable.
He said the platform also provides recorded lessons, allowing pupils to revisit previous classes or catch up on lessons they may have missed.
Addressing concerns about internet access, particularly in rural communities, Alausa said the Federal Government had partnered with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide zero-rated data for students accessing the platform.
According to him, the arrangement would allow pupils to access the lessons without paying additional data charges.
The minister also acknowledged the importance of electricity and other infrastructure in supporting digital learning, particularly in communities where access to these facilities remains limited.
Beyond providing virtual instructors for pupils, Alausa said the government was also using digital platforms to strengthen teachers’ capacity through professional development and access to educational resources.
He identified Ignite as a cloud-based platform designed to help teachers prepare lesson plans, access curriculum materials and improve their classroom delivery.
The minister further disclosed that the government was implementing a Teacher Preparedness Programme, which he said was supporting almost 50,000 teachers through continuous professional development.
The initiatives, according to him, form part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address teacher shortages while improving the quality of teaching and learning across the country.
The intervention comes amid concerns over the uneven distribution of teachers and the growing pressure on public schools, particularly in states with high learner-to-teacher ratios.
Data from the Federal Ministry of Education’s Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System, obtained in August 2026, showed that 31,827,244 learners in public schools were being served by 592,077 teachers, representing a national learner-to-teacher ratio of 53.8 to one.
The figures also showed significant disparities across states, with Kano recording 88 learners per teacher, Katsina 87.4 and Imo 82.2.
