FG to strengthen bilateral education ties with Bulgaria

The Federal Government has expressed readiness to deepen bilateral ties with the Federal Republic of Bulgaria in the field of education.

The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, who made this known, promised that the process of renewing the memorandum of understanding between Nigeria and Bulgaria would be fast-tracked.

He gave the indication in his office in Abuja when he received in the audience, His Excellency Yanko Yordanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria, to Nigeria, a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ben. Bem Goong, on Monday.

According to the Minister, university education is a global phenomenon, and Nigeria stands ready to collaborate on research and engage in exchange programmes with countries around the world.

Mamman assured the envoy that Nigeria was willing to forge partnerships that would be mutually beneficial.

On his part, the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, informed Yordanov that Nigerian universities were already collaborating with their counterparts across the globe in various fields of human endeavour, adding that Bulgaria is more than ever before welcome to expand the existing collaboration, especially in the fields of agriculture and medicine.

Earlier, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria, His Excellency Yanko Yordanov, told the ministers that scholarship opportunities exist for Nigerian students at graduate and post-graduate levels in some universities in Bulgaria.

He explained that the scholarships would be available at the start of the academic session commencing in September this year.

In furtherance of the sustainability of the partnership, Nigeria and Bulgaria are expected to renew the Memorandum of Understanding between them.