LJLA Fellows Launch Solar-Powered Digital Hub, Remodel School Library in Kosofe

For students of Alapere Community Senior High School, Ogbeiwi, learning may soon look different.

A library that was once underutilised has been transformed into a modern learning space, while a new solar-powered digital hub now gives students access to computers and simulated examinations that many of them previously had little opportunity to practise with.

The project was delivered by Team U.P.G.R.A.D.E., a group of 2026 Fellows of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA), as part of an effort to improve access to digital education and revive reading culture in public schools.

The team, whose name stands for Unlocking Potential through Growth, Research and Applied Digital Education, launched the project under the theme, “Bridging the Digital Divide: Empowering for Global Competitiveness.”

For the students who will use the facility, the intervention could address a challenge that has become increasingly important in Nigeria’s education system.

Many students sit for computer-based examinations such as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination with limited experience using computers.

The new digital hub is designed to give them the opportunity to practise before facing the real examination environment.

The facility is powered by a solar-inverter system and equipped with 50 laptops loaded with offline Computer-Based Testing (CBT) simulation software.

This means students can practise without depending entirely on internet access or the regular power supply.

The remodelled library also provides students with an improved environment for reading, while a Book Reading Club established in March 2026 is expected to encourage students to read more, improve their vocabulary and develop critical thinking skills.

The project was unveiled during a two-day programme that combined the commissioning of the facilities with activities focused on students, teachers and the wider school community.

The first day featured a tree-planting exercise to promote environmental sustainability and commemorate the annual Lagos Tree Planting Day.

Students also participated in a debate competition before the digital hub was officially commissioned.

The second day focused on teachers, with educators receiving training on the use of digital tools in classroom instruction, management of modern learning environments and student-centred teaching methods.

According to the organisers, the project was developed in response to two challenges facing many public schools: limited access to digital learning facilities and the declining reading culture among students.

During its pilot phase, the digital hub is expected to serve between 150 and 300 public secondary school students annually, with priority given to students preparing for the 2026/2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and JAMB.

For many of these students, the opportunity to practise computer-based examinations regularly could make a significant difference in their confidence and preparation.

The commissioning attracted government officials, education stakeholders and community leaders, including the General Manager of Lagos State Ferry Services, AbdulBaki Ladi Balogun; the Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Establishments and Training, Ms Toyin Ogunlana; and former Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area, Dele Osinowo.

Representatives of the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Education District II, school administrators and community leaders also attended the event.

Osinowo pledged additional funding to expand the capacity of the digital hub, while other public and private sector stakeholders also expressed their commitment to supporting the facility.

For Team U.P.G.R.A.D.E., the project was more than a fellowship assignment.

It was an opportunity to return value to the society that had helped shape the fellows.

Team Lead, Titilope Anifowoshe, said the fellows were driven by the belief that the opportunities they had received came with a responsibility to give back.

She said the project demonstrated what young people could achieve when given the opportunity to take on real responsibilities and solve problems affecting their communities.

Anifowoshe also commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat for supporting leadership development through the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy.

The school administration has been entrusted with the day-to-day management of the facility, while education district administrators are expected to support technical maintenance, security and operational management.

The Principal of Alapere Community Senior High School, Ogbeiwi Margaret, expressed appreciation to the fellows, describing the digital hub and remodelled library as a major addition to the school.

She pledged that the school would maintain the facilities and ensure that they continued to benefit students for years to come.

For the students, however, the real test of the project begins now.

The computers must be used. The books must be read. The reading club must remain active. And the solar-powered facility must continue to function long after the excitement of the commissioning ceremony has ended.

Team U.P.G.R.A.D.E. says the Kosofe project is intended to serve as a pilot for similar interventions across Lagos State.

The team plans to expand digital learning facilities, establish more book reading clubs, support community libraries and provide soft skills training for students.

If sustained, the intervention could become more than just a renovated library and a room filled with computers.

It could become the place where a public school student first learns how to navigate a computer, prepares for a major examination, discovers the joy of reading or begins to imagine a future that once seemed out of reach.