From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
As part of its efforts to improve smart education in Ekiti State, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is set to commence the second phase of its educational intervention at the Ekiti Smart School in Ijan-Ekiti, Gbonyin Local Government Area of the state.
Prof. Femi Akinwumi, the Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), disclosed this while receiving a delegation from the South Korean agency.
The delegation, led by the KOICA Deputy Country Director, Mr Baik Kihyun, embarked on an in-depth survey of the Smart School project at Ijan-Ekiti.
Addressing the delegation, Akinwumi expressed happiness that the State Smart School would soon receive more support from the South Korean Government through the second phase of intervention from KOICA.
Commending the agency’s decision to begin the second phase of the programme, he noted that it would go a long way in improving the capacity of the school as well as facilitating its reach to rural areas and other parts of the state.
The SUBEB boss, who lauded the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for investing in education, reiterated the commitment of the current administration in the state to implementing education policies and programmes aimed at boosting the state’s basic education sector.
He stressed that leveraging smart technology would further enhance critical thinking and creativity among pupils.
Akinwumi, who used the occasion to appreciate KOICA and the South Korean Government for their significant investment in smart education in the state, mentioned the areas to include, “capacity building programmes for teachers, educators, and policymakers which focus on developing the skills and knowledge needed to effectively integrate technology into the classroom, equipping the school with modern facilities such as the Digital Smart Studio, and the collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to provide training for teachers in areas like content development and the use of digital educational materials.”
In his remarks, the head of the delegation and KOICA Deputy Country Director, Mr Baik Kihyun, lauded the Oyebanji-led administration for its commitment to boosting and promoting education through innovative policies. Kihyun hinted that Ekiti State has performed remarkably well among the six pilot states chosen for the project in Nigeria. While appreciating the state for its hospitality, he disclosed that the second phase of the intervention under SUBEB is expected to further improve the smart school in the state.
The delegation later visited the SUBEB Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of the state, where they commended the state government for providing a befitting office complex for the management and staff of the board.
Present at the reception were the Commissioner for Education, Dr Kofoworola Aderiye; SUBEB Commissioner for Human Resource Management, Dr Olufunke Fajobi; Commissioner for Project Management, Barr. Kayode Adeoye; and the Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Femi Dada.