Borrowing a leaf from the Medium Term National Development Plan (2019-2023), Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Mr Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, has said in Abuja, Nigeria, that President Brig (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio continues to effectively use Science, Technology and Innovation to rebrand the country’s education sector.
The Deputy Minister disclosed this last Thursday while addressing a three-day maiden conference organized by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
He said the President’s vision is to increase access to quality and inclusive education. To achieve this goal, the President launched the Free Quality Education Programme (FQSE), which is expected to create sustainable and impactful outcomes for the Human Capital Development incubator entrenched in the DSTI.
Furthermore, according to the Deputy Minister, the President has tied his human capital development aspirations for the country with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which speaks to quality education. He emphasized that the Bio administration is taking full advantage of information, Communication and Technology (ICT). He further outlined the ongoing efforts by the government to strengthen the higher education sphere with the Upgrading of two polytechnics to Technical universities and establishment of the Kono University of Science and Technology; anchoring on promoting Science, Technology Innovation and Technical Vocational Education and Training.
Mr Aziz- Kamara used the maiden programme to call on the continent to take full advantage of ICT facilities to expand educational opportunities, promote access, and ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030.
“Sierra Leone’s vision for a more competitive ECOWAS in terms of development is in line with the 2063 vision of the African Union and the AU Science Technology Innovation Strategy for Africa ( STISA 2024)”He said.
The President and government officials have made no secret of embracing human capital development as a success story and a priority of the administration.
Hence, the focus on agriculture to end hunger and promoting Good health and wellbeing towards achievement of the sustainable development goals 2030.
Addressing a high-level European Corporate Council on Africa and the Middle East (ECAM) meeting earlier in February in Brussels, the President said that human capital development leads a nation to achieve accelerated and sustainable gains.
“More children, and especially girls, more children with disabilities, more children from poor homes and rural areas are now in school, stay in school, complete and are more successful in school than ever before”, she pointed out.
He added that investing in human capital would make for sustainable gains in all facets of the country’s social and economic development.
From all indications, the Deputy Minister was only emphasizing a point expected to be at the front and center of President Bio’s election message as he seeks re-election in June next year.
The African Research and Innovation Forum (FARI) is set up to promote the development of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) among member states.
The key objective of the Abuja conference was for member states to share experiences on how they have fully utilised Science, Technology and İnnovation in attaining specific development benchmarks, especially in the areas of Education, Health, and Agriculture.
