The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the government will introduce a solar energy initiative for all basic and senior high schools this year.

According to him, the initiative aims to provide schools with a reliable electricity supply while reducing their dependence on the national grid.

“One of the major things to do is to roll out solar in all basic schools and Senior High Schools in order to take them off the national grid,” he said.

He disclosed this during a press briefing to mark the International Day of Education, themed “AI and Education: Human Agency in an Automated World,” held on Friday, January 24.

Mr Iddrisu emphasised that the country cannot prepare for a future driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) without ensuring widespread internet connectivity.

He highlighted the need for collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and private sector stakeholders to achieve this goal.

“We would have to expand access to broadband infrastructure generally. We need to extend fibre and broadband to all educational institutions, in particular, public tertiary institutions,” he stated.

The Minister further called for joint efforts between the private sector and international organisations to address systemic barriers that marginalise groups such as girls, children, and persons with disabilities, hindering their access to education.