SUSTAINABILITY OF SMASE INSET IN NIGERIA: ROLES OF JICA, NTI, AND THE CASE FOR TERTIARY INSTITUTION INTEGRATION

Abstract

This study examined the roles of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in the implementation and sustainability of the Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE) In-Service Education and Training (INSET) programme in Nigeria. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 180 stakeholders across all six geopolitical zones, including teachers, NTI officials, SUBEB officers, and tertiary institution lecturers. A Stakeholder INSET Implementation and Sustainability Questionnaire (SIISQ) was the primary instrument, analysed using means and standard deviations. Findings confirmed JICA’s foundational contribution to the programme (2006–2014), particularly in funding viability, technical framework development, and capacity building through third-country training at CEMASTEA, Kenya, though the transition to national ownership revealed grassroots continuity gaps. NTI demonstrated effective institutional stewardship of the cascade structure but showed limited success in extending SMASE to tertiary teacher-preparation institutions. Among SMASE-trained teachers (71.8% of the teacher sample), improved activity-based instruction and student engagement were the most notable gains, while long-term behavioural sustenance of the ASEI/PDSI approach remained a challenge. Critical implementation barriers included insufficient training frequency, inadequate post-training monitoring, large class sizes, resource shortages, and teacher redeployment. Notably, 50% of tertiary institution respondents reported no engagement with SMASE content in pre-service curricula, representing a structural gap in programme sustainability. Stakeholders ranked the formal integration of ASEI/PDSI into NCE and B.Ed. curricula, ring-fenced SMASE budgetary allocations, and mandatory pre-deployment teacher training as the highest-priority sustainability strategies. The study recommends coordinated curriculum reform through the NCCE and NUC, performance-linked funding mechanisms, digital platform development, and recognition of SMASE participation within the TRCN’s Continuing Professional Education framework.

Keywords: SMASE INSET, ASEI/PDSI, JICA, NTI, UBEC, mathematics and science education, sustainability

Citation: Awe, O. O., Fakunle, I., & Ibukunoluwa, M. R. (2026). Sustainability of SMASE INSET in Nigeria: Roles of JICA, NTI, and the case for tertiary institution integration. Journal of Education, Science and Technology, (2) 1.52-67.

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