Ambassador-designate to South Korea, Senator Nora Daduut, who represented Plateau South in the 9th National Assembly, has donated a Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Computer-Based Test, CBT, centre to her constituency to enhance access to examination facilities and address low digital literacy among rural students.
She also ordered the immediate training of students drawn from several secondary schools in the community in Information and Communication Technology, ICT, as part of efforts to equip young people with practical digital skills.
Senator Daduut said the initiative was aimed at empowering children in rural communities with basic computer knowledge, noting that many students still lack the digital competence required to thrive in today’s education system and computer-based examinations.
She explained that the intervention was informed by challenges observed during the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, where several candidates struggled to use computer-based facilities due to fear and limited exposure to ICT tools.
According to her, the development underscores the urgent need to expose young people, particularly those in rural areas, to computer education at an early stage, stressing that digital literacy has become essential for modern learning and examinations.
She disclosed that the CBT centre, built in her honour and donated by her grandchildren, is located in Kwala community of Quan’pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The senator said the facility would serve not only as a JAMB examination centre but also as a training hub where students and community members can acquire essential digital skills ahead of future examinations.
“It will help students overcome their fear of computers and build confidence in using digital tools, which are now central to modern learning and assessment,” she said.
Senator Daduut added that she had previously facilitated a similar ICT centre in Namu community, which was equipped with computers and learning tools to support digital education for young people.
She noted that the latest project is a continuation of her commitment to grassroots educational development and youth empowerment through ICT.
She further said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which she noted is focused on expanding opportunities for young Nigerians and preparing them for a technology-driven global economy.
According to her, the administration’s emphasis on innovation and digital inclusion informed her resolve to deepen ICT access at the grassroots level.
Daduut also said the project is designed to bridge the gap between rural and urban students, giving them equal opportunity to compete favourably with their peers in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Speaking while commissioning the centre, the traditional ruler of Kwala Moeda District, Hon. Paul Donglong, commended the senator for what he described as a significant contribution to community development.
He urged youths and residents to take ownership of the facility and maximise its benefits.
Beneficiaries of the project also applauded the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful, especially for rural students who often lack access to ICT infrastructure.
One of the beneficiaries, Fabian Shalong, said the centre would significantly improve digital awareness and better prepare candidates for computer-based examinations.
Boemfu Timothy another beneficiary said the ICT centre would serve as a catalyst for educational advancement and long-term digital empowerment in the area, while encouraging sustained investment in rural education infrastructure.
A month after the mass abduction of 46 Oyo schoolchildren and teachers by terrorists on May 15 and the decapitation of a teacher, the captives remain in the forest despite military claims and political promises from President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde.
The terrorists kidnapped the students and staffers after invading schools in the Esienle and Yawota communities in Orire local council in Oyo state.
Days after the abduction, one of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded by the terrorists, pressuring the government to meet their demands for the release of the abductees.
On May 19, four days after the abduction, the Defence Headquarters, in a statement by its spokesperson, Michael Onoja, said, “Troops are currently deployed and actively operating within the forest in pursuit of the perpetrators and in search of the abducted victims.”
“Troops made contact with the criminal elements two days ago, have since reorganised, and are continuing the search and pursuit operations with full determination.”
The military and the government cited collateral damage as a reason for not taking out the terrorists.
While the schoolchildren and their teachers languish in captivity, Messrs Tinubu and Makinde have been engaging in electioneering as they chase their presidential dreams, both emerging as their party’s candidates for the 2027 election.
On May 31, Mr Makinde visited the hostages’ communities, promising their families the safe return of those abducted.
“This is not the time to start trading blame on who should be responsible for the release of these children between the state and federal government. This is just the time to come together to rescue our children and their teachers, Mr Makinde told the families of abductees. “All I need is your cooperation. Please trust us. I cannot speak much because it has security implications. I know your hearts are bleeding. My heart is also bleeding. Please trust us. We will secure their release.”
Similarly, a delegation representing Mr Tinubu, led by his chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, visited the families and made a similar promise.
In a video released by the terrorists, Rachael Alamu, one of the hostages and the principal of Community High School Esinele, begged Messrs Tinubu and Makinde to negotiate with the terrorists to secure their release.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State House of Assembly has opposed negotiating with the terrorists.
Debo Ogundoyin, the speaker of the assembly, said the state would not pay ransom, give weapons to terrorists or change laws to accommodate the kidnappers.
Several protests have followed the government’s failure to rescue the hostages.
Amid public outrage and discontent, many Nigerians protested across several states, including Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Bayelsa, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, demanding the immediate rescue of the hostages.
In his Democracy Day speech on June 12, Mr Tinubu said, “Though this year’s mood is dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno, we remain hopeful for their safe return. Democracy without security is not solid enough.”
The president urged terrorists and bandits across the country to lay down their arms or face the wrath of his administration.
The Plateau State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has joined its counterparts across the country in protesting the abduction of pupils and teachers from a primary school in Oyo State.
Hundreds of teachers staged a demonstration in Jos, the Plateau State capital, carrying placards and banners to express their anger over the continued captivity of the victims several weeks after the incident.
The protesters called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and safe release of the abducted pupils and teachers, stressing that schools must remain safe spaces for learning.
They also expressed concern over the growing trend of school-related abductions in parts of the country, warning that such incidents could discourage parents from sending their children to school if not urgently addressed.
The union urged authorities to strengthen security around educational institutions and ensure the safe return of all victims still in captivity.
