Aside it’s supports in the area of infrastructure, administration and provision of books, the new trend of promotion of smart Education has received a boost from the international body , Korea International Cooperation Agency , KOICA.
In line with the well articulated Memorandum of Understanding MOU existing between the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC under the leadership of Dr Hamid Bobboyi and the international body , spanned over the years , it has continued to intervene in all areas that could impact positively on Basic Education in Nigeria.
KOICA, through its international grants and intervention had intervened in the development of Basic Education among many others that had placed the commission at vantage position, consideration in it’s annual programs since 2021.
With the provision of grants from KOICA, UBEC had provided enough infrastructure across the country to mitigate out of school children OOSC and develop series of Basic Education template to improve both girl child and Junior Secondary Schools Education.
The implementation of Smart Schools Education post COVID that had sent public schools pupils out of the class in 2020 was to further encourage government and stakeholders into commiting needed attention to address the consequences of the global pandemic that ravaged the globe with Nigeria not in exception, but with debilitating effects.
Aside supports , KOICA had engaged in administrative and implementation of programs been introduced by the commission in the last few years under the leadership of Dr Hamid Bobboyi to the later so as to promote Basic Education in Nigeria.
With the establishment of 37 Smart schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to mitigate both the immediate and long time effect of COVID, envisaged climate change among others capable of discouraging basic education, KOICA intervention became timely .
In line with its Memorandum of Understanding MOU with the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, the needed supports to improve the impact of Basic and Primary Education became glaring and needful.
The multiple approach through interventions was a fall out of a well thought out Memorandum of Understanding MOU that is playing a rudimentary roles towards improving both learners and teachers across the country.
In that vein , KOICA had embarked on training of teachers across the country to prepare them ahead of the new order and introduction of smart Education, among series of policies towards equating Basic Education with the international best practices.
The training spread across Nigeria and outside the shores of the country included education administrators , resource persons , built studios for the smart schools in preparation to enriching and equipping the newly built Digital Resource Centre DRC.
The donation of videos clips to enhance smart Education around the country will further encouraged delivery of smart Education to pupils in preparation against all unforseen circumstances going forward.
The videos will serve as electronic devise and storage that has already automated and digitized the activities of smart Education in line with the best practices.
The donation aside promotion of smart Education will save the country the cost of attracting foreign exchange in the procurement of such hitech soft equipment to solidify Basic and Junior Secondary Schools Education in the country, including training and retraining of teachers , administrators and support staff.
During the auspicious event of the presentation of the 1,662 Educational videos, the following interactions ensued …
“As part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in 2021, KOICA provided 1,662 educational video resources for usage in Smart Schools around the country.”
“From 2021 to the present, KOICA has trained 250 teachers and administrators in Nigeria and Korea, established a teachers learning community where teachers can share resources, collaborated with UBEC to write and produce operational guidelines for smart school education in Nigeria, built and equipped state-of-the-art studios in six Smart schools across the country (Cross Rivers, Ekiti, Nassarawa, FCT, Bauchi, and Kano).”
“The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Kim Pan-Kyu, hosted the handover ceremony at the Korean Embassy in Abuja on Monday, October 28, 2024, when he received the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, and other members of his Management team. ”
“Others at the meeting were Deputy Executive Secretary, Technical, UBEC Prof. Bala Zakari, KOICA Country Director, Mr. Son Sungil, Ms. Lee Aram, Deputy Country Director, KOICA, Ms. Jung Ha Yoon, Assistant Manager, KOICA others present at the ceremony from UBEC are Dr. Aisha Abdul, Director Special Programmes, UBEC, Professor Bashir Galadanci, National Coordinator, DRC, Dr. Hafsat Konatgora, Head Capacity Building, DRC, Dr. Veronica Phoebe Jatau, Head Research, DRC, Mal. Mahmud Mohammed, Head Technical Services, DRC and Dr. Ibrahim Bakari, Head ICT, UBEC.”
With the positive development from KOICA, no doubt another chapter of Basic and Primary Education development is open to consolidate smart Education, and other programs been introduced by the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC in Nigeria.
*ABUBAKAR YUSUF can be reached on [email protected]
