To promote effective teaching in schools, the Bayelsa State Government on has signed a pact with the Canadian government.
The pact, according to the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson became imperative in view of the dwindling standard of education, not only in the state but the country as a whole.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding held inside the Governor’s Conference Room and had in attendance, the Canadian High Commissioner, Ambassador Chris Cooter, the State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Salo Adikumo and notable personalities in the sector.
Governor Seriake Dickson observed that society would implode without a functional educational system at the primary level.
In realization of this, the Governor said his administration is making appropriate investments in the education sub-sector such as building new school infrastructures and award of scholarships to Bayelsans as well as scholars of Ijaw extraction.
Describing teachers as the most important stakeholders in education, Governor Dickson restated that his administration would continue to prioritize the training and retraining of teachers in the state.
To this end, he said the state College of Education in Sagbama Local Government area would soon commence academic activities with the teachers training institute to be manned by its Canadian partners for a period of time.
“We are investing heavily in the College of Education, and I’ve just been informed that JAMB has sent a list of about 5000 students. So the college of education in Sagbama will start off fully very soon.
“We are working hard to even build a vocational training school because we must also open up channels for those who are talented in other ways than academics”
Governor Dickson expressed delight over the partnership, noting that it would go a long way in imparting the requisite skills and expertise in teachers.
“I am delighted today that you are here personally to further cement the partnership. We are here to sign a Memorandum of Understanding by which some experts in this sector from your country are expected to work with us here, if possible to even run the Teachers Training Institute for over a period of time so that we can now have a situation by which the right skills can be imparted”.
In his remarks, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Chris Cooter expressed optimism that the partnership would not only actualize its purpose but help to open other windows of opportunities.
Ambassador Cooter, who commended the State Governor’s vision and passion for education, assured that the Canadian partners would bring to bear their technical expertise on the training programme.
