By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Executive Chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba has received the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, survey team as part of moves to establish facilities to encourage the study of Science, Technical, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM, education and skills development in public schools across the State,

The visit of the team is a follow-up to an earlier visit by a delegation from JICA to the Board over the programme.

Dr. Adagba who weekend conducted the delegation around selected pilot schools to carry out research and survey explained that the intervention was made possible through goodwill from the Agency which she said had identified the drastic revolution being implemented in basic education schools by the Governor Hyacinth Alia administration.

She said the intervention targeted at improving learning environment in schools as well as facilitating STEM and vocational education, with particular focus on the girl child “will further complement efforts by the government to reposition basic education schools.”

The SUBEB Chairman thanked Governor Alia for his sustained support for the Board and his vision to change the narrative of Public Schools, and also appreciated JICA for the intervention.

The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu in her remarks acknowledged the SUBEB Executive Chairman for her resilience in attracting foreign investment in the education sector for the overall growth and development of the younger generation.

She assured the foreign donors of government’s commitment to availing the enabling environment for partnerships and thanked the delegation for the willingness to invest in Benue’s education sector.

Consultant for the JICA, Kenji Kawazoe who led the team of architects for the research and survey works said they were in the state for environmental assessment of the selected schools for determination of the appropriate facilities according to the needs of the beneficiaries.

The Programme Coordinator, Education and Long-Term Training Programme for JICA, Stephen Nwanya emphasized that the grant aid project was interested in contributing to the growth of basic education with particular focus on Infrastructural design and construction, equipment support in ICT and vocational training to encourage STEM education.

The JICA team which visited St Theresa’s Primary School Makurdi for the survey mission, is expected to visit Otukpo to carry out research and survey at St Francis Primary School, Otukpo. The Schools are the selected pilot schools for the take off of the intervention programme.