FG says Nigeria ready to partner foreign investors in education devt

THE Federal Government has said that Nigeria is open to foreign investors who are willing to intervene in the Nigerian education sector.

To this end, Nigeria and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are ready to explore areas of collaboration in the education sector as a way of deepening both countries’ long-standing relationship.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, disclosed this in Abuja when a team from The Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, led by its General Director, Monika Sie Dhian Ho, paid him a working visit.

Echono said that the visit was a welcome development as Nigeria stands to gain a lot from the partnership. He said there are many aspects of the education sector that need the “intervention of investors from the advanced world.”

He reiterated that the Nigerian government’s readiness to welcome foreign investment interventions in the sector.

Particularly, Echono urged the Dutch government to consider partnering with its Nigerian counterpart in developing the agricultural education, information and communication technology and vocational education sub-sectors of the education sector.

The permanent secretary said that the current focus of the present administration is on harnessing the agricultural sector to ensure the development of the country, and ascribed the slow pace of the sector’s growth to the use of obsolete technology and methods.

He further called on the institute to explore ways of training Nigerians on more advanced agricultural methods like agricultural extension services, irrigation, green houses, amongst others.

Echono also solicited the assistance of the Dutch government in advancing the growth and use of information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria.

He noted that the world is getting digitized and there is a need for Nigeria to move with the trend.

The permanent secretary bemoaned the large number of uneducated youths in the country, and urged the institute to consider supporting the drive of the present administration to encourage the acquisition of vocational education and skills.

Speaking earlier, the General Director of the institute, Monika Sie Dhian Ho, said that the team was sent by the Dutch government to find areas of collaboration with the Nigerian government to help its developmental efforts.

Sie said that the institute had the deadline of April to compile and submit its report.