By Stella Odueme
Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) have expressed plans to collaborate on student exchange programme.
This was revealed at the weekend when the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, received the Mayor of London Borough of Southwark, Michael Situ, and his team, on a working visit to discuss avenues of collaboration in the programme.
“education for all is a responsibility for all.” “For us, we want to do everything possible to ensure that our citizens at all levels are well educated believing in its efficacy to emancipate people and make them contribute, positively, to societal development,” she added.
The HoSF who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO), Mr. Adeleye Adeoye appreciated the Mayor for focusing on secondary school students as beneficiaries of the exchange programme between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
“Because they are the future of the Service, nurturing them at that stage will ease their transition into the public sector, in future. We need to get our children back to school to get quality education, in order to contribute favourably to the growth and development of our dear country,” she said.
She told her visitors that the first pillar of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP-25), places high premium on human capital development and talent management, adding that learning is an unending adventure.
Speaking earlier, Mayor Situ, stated that one of the aims of the visit is to seek areas of partnership on both sides of the continents and find ways on how both countries can be mutual beneficiaries.
He gave an overview of what the programme entails saying that what cuts across all areas of the public service and being provided by the government at all levels, is education.
“If you have an educated workforce, you will have a productive workforce, a thriving economy, thriving communities and a thriving society, as well,” he added.
He spoke on how schools in the London Borough of Southwark went through years of transformation to become some of the sort after schools in the U.K.
He said the visit is quite key to understanding the education landscape of Nigeria and how both countries can share best practices, thereby adding value on both sides.
The Administrator/C.E.O., Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Dr. AbdulGaniyu Obatoyinbo, appreciated the Mayor for being a man of his words, having fulfilled his promise to visit Nigeria and for doing the country proud.
In attendance were the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, represented by the Director, Education Support Services, Dr. Lydia Giginna, Director, Studies and Learning, PSIN, Mr. Tunde Adeniran, Consultant to PSIN, Mrs Bola Thomas, and Director in the Office of the HoSF, Mr. Adebayo Odejimi. On the entourage of the Mayor was his Senior Adviser on Education, Mr. David Bromfield, among others.
