By Okeoghene Akubuike
Abuja – The Korean government has pledged more collaboration with the Nigerian Government towards improving the basic education delivery in the country.
Mr Ossom Ossom, Head of Public Relations and Protocol, UBEC, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said that this was the high point of the courtesy visit paid by the UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Hamid Bobboyi on the Korean Ambassador, Maj.- Gen. Lee In-tae (Rtd) on Friday at the Korean Embassy in Abuja.
Ossom said the visit also afforded the UBEC boss the opportunity to say farewell to Sook Hyun Park, outgoing Country Director, who had been the major Korean official responsible for partnerships with UBEC and other Nigeria education agencies.
According to him, during the visit the officials deliberated on current interventions involving both governments in basic education delivery.
“The meeting emphasised the need to finalise arrangements to install instructional materials already procured for the Nigeria-Korea Model School in Abuja, Nigeria.”
The UBEC boss was quoted as expressing gratitude to the Korean government for pioneering initiative of establishing the Korea-Nigeria UBE Model School located at the Airport Road, Abuja.
Bobboyi told the ambassador of efforts being made by UBEC to scale up the model school initiative across the country.
He explained the efforts were being made by the Nigeria government to replicate the Korea initiative in the six geopolitical zones by establishing UBE Model Schools in each geo-political zone and the FCT.
He maintained that the ultimate goal of setting up the UBE Model Schools was to ensure that each state, in the long run, can boast of a standard and world class UBE facility.
Responding, the Korean ambassador promised to ensure that the Korea-Nigeria Model School was well maintained.
He also pledged further assistance to the Nigerian government/UBEC in teacher training.
The envoy promised to explore other possible areas that are open to partnership with the Nigerian people.
He pledged renewed commitment to a more robust Korea-Nigeria friendship.
UBEC Executive Secretary was accompanied on the visit by the Director, Physical Planning Mr Sadiq Saad; Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Baba Sali Song and other UBEC personnel in charge of Partnerships and Communication.