The Federal Government and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are to explore areas of partnership in the education sector as a means of deepening their longstanding relationship.
Ben Bem Goong,Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Education, in a press statement, said this was announced by Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, 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 in his office in Abuja.
Echono said that this is a welcome development as Nigeria stands to gain a lot from the partnership as there are many aspects of the education sector that need the “intervention of investors from the advanced world”.
He reiterated that the Nigerian Government is opened to all investment interventions in the sector.
Echono urged the Dutch government to consider partnering with its Nigerian counterpart in developing the Agricultural education, Information and Communication Technology and Vocational education subsectors of the education sector.
He said that the current focus of the present administration is 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.
The Permanent Secretary called on the Dutch institution to explore ways of training Nigerians on more advanced agricultural methods like agricultural extension services, irrigation, green houses, amongst others.
He said that the ‘agricultural sector has huge potentials to move the country to the league of developed ones’ and urged the Dutch government to contemplate partnering with the Nigerian government on its development.
Echono also solicited the assistance of the Dutch government in advancing the growth and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.
He acknowledged that the world is getting digitalized and stated that there is need for the country to move with the trend as Nigerians have a lot to gain from its use.
While pointing out the large number of uneducated youths in the country, he urged the Institute to consider supporting the drive of the present administration to encourage the acquisition of vocational education and skills, which will help curb unemployment in the country as well as encourage self-reliance.
Speaking earlier, Sie 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 has the deadline of April to compile and submit its report to the Dutch government.
