The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has donated two 2016 KIA Mohave sport utility vehicles for project monitoring vehicles, 200 computer sets, and other complementary Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment like printers, projectors, photocopiers and different software to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The donation, part of KOICA’s support to basic education delivery in the country following a partnership agreement signed on November 9, 2015 between Nigeria and Korea. It is also part of the Korean government’s ongoing projects in the country, which are expected to last till 2018. Within this period, Korea plans to make an investment worth $15 million in the country.
Country Director of KOICA, Mr. Jung Sang-Hoon, while presenting the items to UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Dikko Suleiman, noted UBEC’s strides in basic education delivery, just as he reiterated the Korean government’s readiness to offer its support, especially through its intervention in schools constructed by KOICA in Gombe, Adamawa, Katsina and Kogi states.
“This donation is part of the project activities which shall last until 2018 with an investment of $15 m sponsored by KOICA. We expect that our donation will serve to help in the monitoring and evaluation as well as implementation activities for the projects of the commission,” Sang-Hoon stated.
The country director, who informed that the agency plans to establish a model primary school and a junior secondary school in Abuja this year, further informed that, “the Information and Communications Technology materials will also help to enlighten and educate the primary and junior secondary school students in the target schools.’’ he added.
Suleiman in his address expressed delight at President Muhammadu Buhari’s avowed commitment to quality education and highlighted some of the major policy thrusts of the Federal Government in the basic education sub-sector, especially its resolve to launch the School Feeding Programme, improve teacher quality and availability, and implement other strategic interventions that have been identified as crucial to improving Universal Basic Education (UBE) delivery across the country.
The executive scribe further maintained that UBEC, in collaboration with state’s Universal Basic Education Boards (UBEBs), have already provided relevant infrastructure including fencing, alternate power supply, additional two classroom blocks, library and computer rooms in each of the primary schools constructed by KOICA in the beneficiary states.
Suleiman commended the Korean government for its resolve to complement the Federal Government’s commitment to UBE delivery through its partnership efforts.
He informed that the donated items would be deployed to the four target schools built by KOICA in Gombe, Adamawa, Katsina and Kogi State towards enhancing and sustaining quality UBE delivery services.
Since making its debut in the country in 2008, KOICA has spent millions of dollars on various intervention programmes in the country, including human capacity training for over 700 public officials at the federal and state levels.
About seven candidates were also selected in 2013 for the summer term fellowship programme, which provide opportunities for candidates from partner countries to enhance their technical and administrative skills, with a view to enabling them to contribute to their country’s development.
The agency also assisted Nigeria’s drive towards the realisation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and poverty reduction. For instance, when the 10 million out-of-school children syndrome attracted its attention, without prejudice to the Almajiri school project, it constructed $1.8million-worth of model primary schools in Yola and Mayo-Belwa in Adamawa State; Akko and Barunde in Gombe State. It also organised capacity training scheme for teachers and school administrators in the affected states.
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