FG Launches Inspire Live Online Teaching Platform, Offers Free Data to Nigerian Students
The Federal Government has introduced a new online teaching programme that will enable pupils in schools without qualified subject teachers to receive lessons remotely, with free internet data provided to help students access the educational platform.
The initiative, known as Inspire Live, is aimed at addressing the shortage of qualified teachers in underserved communities and expanding access to quality education, particularly in rural areas where schools struggle to recruit teachers for specific subjects.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday night, explaining that the programme would connect pupils in primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools with qualified instructors through live and interactive online classes.
Under the arrangement, schools lacking teachers for particular subjects would follow a central timetable and connect their pupils to instructors delivering lessons remotely.
The initiative is expected to enable students to continue learning without waiting for additional teachers to be recruited or posted to their schools.
How FG’s Inspire Live Online Teaching Programme Will Work
Alausa used Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State to explain how the Inspire Live platform would operate, noting that pupils in schools without English Language teachers could access lessons delivered by instructors elsewhere in the country.
“Any school, say you are in Kaura Namoda today and you don’t have an English teacher, you can go online and log on when that teacher will be teaching English. You can log on to it in an interactive way,” he said.
The minister explained that the online teaching platform was developed to cover every subject contained in Nigeria’s approved school curriculum.
These include English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, Civic Education, Nigerian History, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, among other subjects.
He dismissed suggestions that the programme would cover only selected subjects, stressing that students would have access to instruction across the entire curriculum.
“Not almost every subject. Every subject that is in the curriculum.”
According to Alausa, the platform would operate with an organised timetable to guide participating schools, enabling teachers and school administrators to know when particular subjects would be taught and ensure that pupils connect at the appropriate time.
The minister also explained that students would not depend exclusively on live classes, as the platform would feature recorded lessons that could be accessed whenever necessary.
This means pupils who miss a live lesson would still have the opportunity to study the topic later, while students could revisit previously taught subjects to improve their understanding and prepare for examinations.
“They will have recorded lessons. You just need to log on, and you get linked to a live teacher. You can also go and do a recorded lecture,” he stated.
FG to Provide Free Internet Data for Inspire Live Students
One of the major provisions of the Inspire Live programme is the Federal Government’s plan to eliminate internet data charges for students accessing the educational platform.
Alausa said the government had reached an arrangement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide zero-rated internet data for the educational service.
The initiative is expected to remove the cost of purchasing data as a barrier to digital learning, particularly for pupils from low-income households and communities where access to educational resources remains limited.
“We have collaborated with the Nigerian Communications Commission. We have zero-rated data, free data, to log on to the site. You log on free, you get live teachers,” Alausa said.
The minister added that the platform would provide additional educational materials that students could use alongside their regular classroom lessons.
He also addressed concerns about children living in communities with limited electricity and internet facilities, using Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State as an example of the areas where the government had made provisions for free access.
However, the effectiveness of the programme will also depend on the availability of functional digital devices, electricity and reliable internet connectivity in participating schools.
While free internet data could remove subscription costs, schools would still require the necessary equipment and infrastructure to make virtual lessons accessible to pupils.
FG Introduces Ignite Platform to Support Teachers
Beyond providing online teachers for students, the Federal Government is also deploying digital tools to improve the performance of teachers already working in schools.
Alausa disclosed that another initiative, known as Ignite, is a cloud-based platform designed to assist teachers with lesson preparation, curriculum materials and other educational resources.
The platform is expected to help teachers organise their lessons and access relevant teaching materials without depending entirely on printed resources.
“We are also supporting our teachers. We have Ignite, a cloud-based platform where teachers can go to help them prepare their lesson plans and look at the curriculum,” he said.
The minister explained that the government was adopting a two-sided approach to education reform by providing additional learning opportunities for students while strengthening the capacity of teachers.
He maintained that improving the quality of education required more than placing additional resources in the hands of pupils, stressing that teachers also needed continuous training, professional support and access to materials that would improve classroom delivery.
“So, it’s full support for teachers, support for children, support for teachers, support for the students,” he added.
FG’s Teacher Preparedness Programme Targets Almost 50,000 Educators
The Minister of Education further revealed that the Federal Government was implementing a Teacher Preparedness Programme to strengthen the skills and professional capabilities of educators across the country.
According to Alausa, the initiative currently provides support for almost 50,000 teachers and is expected to improve their preparedness and the quality of instruction they deliver to learners.
“At this moment, we’re running what we call a Teacher Preparedness Programme that we’re paying for almost 50,000 teachers,” he said.
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He described the programme as an important intervention for educators, adding that many teachers were already participating and benefiting from the opportunities provided.
“It’s been a remarkable, remarkable support for our teachers. They’re latching on to it.”
The Inspire Live online teaching programme, alongside the Ignite digital platform and Teacher Preparedness Programme, forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to improve access to education, address teacher shortages and strengthen teaching and learning outcomes across Nigeria.
