The recent access to digital tools and facilities in Lakowe’s Iwerekun Junior Secondary School has become a thing of pride.
The school is one of the beneficiaries of the MTN Foundation’s What Can We Do Together (WCWDT) initiative.
With a student population of over 2,000 (including more than 400 in technical classes), the school needed a suitable ICT Lab last year. A call that WCWDT answered, renovating the ICT laboratory into a world class facility to support the students.
According to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), over 8 million students are enrolled in junior secondary schools across Nigeria, yet only 416,291 teachers.
This creates a rising need for better facilities and tools that would support and amplify teaching efforts. With efforts from initiatives like WCWDT communities across the country are getting access to the facilities that will drive educational efforts.
Today, the ICT laboratory has changed the learning experience for many students in the school. What used to be limited access to digital learning tools has gradually become a more engaging and practical learning environment, giving students room to learn, explore and build confidence with technology.
For the school’s Principal, Mr. Azeez Olatunji Fatai, the difference became noticeable almost immediately.
“Since the installation of the ICT lab, we have seen significant improvements amongst students,” he said. “Our students now have access to digital tools and learning resources that were previously unavailable, and their confidence in using technology has improved greatly.”
That renewed confidence is beginning to reflect in how students engage both inside and outside the classroom. Recently, the school emerged first in an inter-school competition, a milestone many within the school community see as evidence of the growing exposure and encouragement students now receive.
Teachers say students are showing greater enthusiasm during lessons and are becoming more willing to participate in practical and extracurricular activities.
The ICT lab has also strengthened the school’s focus on practical learning. Since November, students have participated in more structured digital learning sessions, while some have also gained additional exposure through extracurricular and skill-based programmes designed to strengthen their digital and technical capabilities.
For the MTN Foundation, this outcome reflects the broader goal of the What Can We Do Together initiative, which continues to address critical gaps in education and community infrastructure.
As nominations open for Phase 6 of the initiative, the Foundation is calling on Nigerians to nominate deserving schools and communities for the opportunity to benefit from upgraded science laboratories and primary healthcare centres, helping to create more success stories like Iwerekun Junior Secondary School and expand access to quality learning and development opportunities across the country.
