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Abstract
This study investigated the impact of AI-powered smart school environments on the development of computational thinking (CT) and problem-solving skills among secondary school students in Enugu State, Nigeria. Employing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, a total of 100 students drawn from six secondary schools across urban and semi-urban areas of Enugu State participated in a 12-week intervention programme. Participants were exposed to AI-integrated learning platforms, including adaptive tutoring systems, intelligent feedback tools, and algorithmic thinking modules. Standardised instruments, the Computational Thinking Assessment Scale (CTAS) and the Problem-Solving Proficiency Test (PSPT) were used for data collection, and results were analysed using paired-samples t-tests and ANCOVA at a significance level of 0.05. Findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in CT sub-skills decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design, as well as overall problem-solving performance (p < .001) following the AI-smart school intervention. Private schools showed significantly higher CT gains than public schools, whereas no statistically significant gender-based difference was observed. The study concludes that AI-powered smart school environments meaningfully enhance CT and problem-solving skills in secondary school students and recommends scaled integration of AI tools into the Nigerian secondary school curriculum.