THE Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has been appointed the Technical Adviser of the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association, Nigeria, (COSFAN).
The appointment was made in Abuja when the association led by its president, Dr Adimula Abiola, paid a working visit on the minister.
Abiola said the appointment was in recognition of government’s efforts aimed at improving the nation’s educational standard, as well as ensuring viable scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students.
During the investiture, Adamu Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Honourable. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said the Federal Government in its effort to guarantee qualitative educational opportunities for Nigerians, was willing to explore ways of working with COSFAN in developing the education sector.
Adamu Adamu commended the association for its zeal for improving educational standard in the country, urging it not to relent on its efforts in linking Nigerian students with good scholarship opportunities.
Speaking earlier, the President of COSFAN, Dr Adimula Abiola, said the visit was necessitated by the association’s desire to have a better working relationship with the ministry.
She stressed that maintaining a good relationship with the ministry was important so as to advance the association’s cause to make scholarship opportunities available to Nigerians.
Dr Adimula revealed that the association which comprised educational alumni members of institutions in commonwealth countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, had assisted Nigerian students to access scholarship opportunities in reputable foreign institutions.
She lamented that Nigerian students were not fully embracing and utilising scholarship opportunities from commonwealth countries.
According to her, “most times the slots for Nigerian students are not filled, thus, we will like to work with the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that our students no longer miss such opportunities.”
The president made some demands from the ministry which include effective collaboration for mutual benefits, Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) between the association and the ministry an annual subventions to aid its work as well as participation in the ministry’s activities, among others.
