UNESCO commends Nigeria's efforts to revamp education sector

THE Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Training opened in Shanghai, China recently, with nations identifying areas of collaboration to strengthen skills acquisition for development in the World.With 122 member nations of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in attendance, the forum seeks to transform the ways of providing technical and vocational training towards building skills for works and life in the world.Nigeria's Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa'I led the Nigerian delegation to work with other member countries, to fashion out a workable framework for the realisation of the socio-economic development through TVET in the world.Rufai also held a meeting with African Ministers of Education as the chairperson of COMADEV-5, on the line of action to be taken especially on the TVET delivery in Africa.Director General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bakova, while declaring the conference open, explained that technical and vocational training had a significant role to play in poverty reduction. She called on member nations to re-double their efforts towards providing the needed skills through technical and vocational training, to ensure a safe world that will work towards socio-economic development of the nations.China Minister of Education, Mr. Yuan Guiren said the Chinese government was devising the plan for the building of a modern vocational education system for 2012-2020 that would shape the future of China 's vocational education.Meanwhile, Bakova has commended Nigeria's leadership role as the Chair of E-9 countries in the last two years. Speaking during a meeting with Rufai at the event, the UNESCO director general affirmed that Nigeria was able to provide the needed leadership that enabled the E-9 nations of India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, China, Brazil, Pakistan, Mexico and Nigeria achieve some of their objectives of improving education delivery.The minister informed Bakova that Nigeria was tidying up the E-9 secretariat for the handing over to India, the next country to host the 2012 E-9 International conference later in the year.Rufai said Nigeria was desirous of implementing the outstanding components of the Nigeria-UNESCO co-operation pact, in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and the strategic plan for the development of education in the country.Bakova assured the Rufai UNESCO's support for Nigeria, just as she revealed that the world body wasa considering special intervention in the country.
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