Ekiti, Canadian University Begin Partnership To Deepen Education

Ekiti State Government and the University of Manitoba, Canada have begun a partnership that is aimed at strengthening teachers’ education in the State, as the University has tentatively approved the running of two of her sub-degree programmes for Ekiti State College of Education, Ikere Ekiti.

Speaking in Ado Ekiti while receiving Dr. Kathleen Matheos, the Associate Dean of Extended Education of the University of Manitoba, the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi said his administration was passionate about the quality of education in the State hence its commitment to a total revamp of the education sector with a view to effectively achieving the set goals.

Dr. Fayemi said the partnership with the University of Manitoba was occasioned by the need to turn-around the sector which has faced a lot of challenges, especially as a result of adequately qualified and well-equipped teachers who can truly live up to the requirements of the profession.

The Governor who lamented that the State has depended too much on its past glory in educational attainment as the fountain of knowledge expressed optimism that the patnership would help build a generation of competent teachers as the partnership would avail students the access to the necessary support and expertise to achieve the teaching objective.

Fayemi added that a lot of efforts have been geared towards rehabilitating and repositioning the College of Education to achieve its overall objective because the State places premium on Human Capital Development.

In her speech, the Associate Dean of Extended Education of the University of Manitoba, Dr. Kathleen Matheos said the University of Manitoba was exploring two programmes and is working out the logistics for how they would be run in the College.

She added that the University howver desired an opportunity for its students to participate in the courses that her offered by the College of Education; saying that “partnerships are about sharing learning and knowledge, we have to learn from each other”.

The Provost of the State College of Education, Professor Fransisca Aladejana said the College is exploring available opportunity within and outside the country; saying that the partnership with the University is s fruit of the effort.

Professor Aladejana expressed optimism that the two programmes would provide immense benefits not only for the College but also for the working class to have access to further education and improve their capacity; adding that it would also bring about opportunity exchange programmes for staff and students of the College.