Speaking at an audience with the former British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, President Jonathan said that his Administration will continue to evolve and execute programmes and actions to improve access to quality education across the country in furtherance of its efforts to create a highly skilled and competitive work-force.
The President assured Mr. Brown, who now serves as the United Nations Special Envoy on Global Education, that in addition to providing the $250 Million required to match the amount raised by international donors towards giving more Nigerian youth access to basic education, the federal government will also provide all possible support to state governments to ensure that they are able to access the new funds and put them to appropriate use.
"Thank you for helping us in this area. Education is critical to making our youth more employable. The Coordinating Minister of the Economy/Finance and the Minister of Education will work with the states to make sure that the programme succeeds," President Jonathan told Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown told the President that he had had a very productive meeting with Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy/Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa'i, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ashiru, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, governors and state commissioners for education on international support for efforts to create greater access to educational opportunities for Nigerian youth.
He said that the United Nations and international donors were committed to working with the federal and state governments to expand teacher training programmes, improve girl-child education and boost the use of the tools of modern technology such as e-books and tablets in providing basic education to more Nigerian youth.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 9, 2013
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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