Korean Govt Offers Assistance To Nigeria To Improve Smart Schools Project.
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August 1, 2022
1st August, 2022
South Korea is set to assist Nigeria in the development of smart schools projects and increase the capacity of teachers in the development and use of ICT content.
According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) and Nigeria Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the former will also help to improve the access of teachers and pupils to quality teaching and learning materials.
South Korea is generally rated as one of the countries with the best education systems in the world in terms of the use of relevant technologies in teaching and learning and how teachers are well paid compared to other professionals.
This was made known during a visit by a team of Korean experts led by Prof Dae Joon Hwang of UBION Consortium on Dr Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC.
Speaking during the visit. Dr Bobboyi, reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to commence operations in some of the newly constructed smart schools by January 2023.
Son Sungil, the Country Director of the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA), stated that the three-man team had been in Nigeria since July 3, 2022, as part of the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between KOICA and UBEC in October 2021.
The Team Leader, Prof Hwang, thanked the Executive Secretary for the warm reception and collaboration they had received from the Commission during their stay, noting that the three pillars of the collaboration revolved around the supply of sophisticated recording and broadcasting studio equipment in some of the smart schools, content development with particular reference to Mathematics and Science, and capacity building for teachers and education managers across the country in the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the Blended Learning methodology.
Also speaking, during the occasion, the Co-ordinator of the Smart Schools Programme, Prof Bashir Galadanci, stated that, during their one-month stay, the Korean team of experts had extensive discussions with officials of UBEC, NERDC and NTI on the Smart Schools Programme.
They also visited the Smart Schools in Lafia, Nasarawa State and Tarda, Kano State and had discussions with the SUBEB chairmen and officials of Kano and Nasarawa states, respectively.
In addition, they participated in two workshops organised by UBEC; one for critiquing training course materials for teachers and principals of smart schools and another for developing blended lesson templates for use by the smart schools. He explained that UBEC had benefitted tremendously from their expertise and wealth of experience.
