The Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) in line with the provisions of the law establishing the Fund has begun its quest for partnership with local and international Donor Agencies and other key players in educational development.
To this end, the EDTF led by the Chairman, Professor Turner T. Isoun represented by Professor Francis Sikoki set out to Abuja to interact with Embassies, education related foundations to get their buy-in on proposed Round-Table discussion planned for May 4th, 2021 in Abuja.
At the American Embassy in Abuja, the EDTF team met with the Education Office Director of USAID/Nigeria, Ms. Denise O’Toole to seek USAID’S participation in the Round –Table that would lead to partnership for the award of educational grants.
A similar visit was paid to the Odyssey Foundation in Abuja and the Mc Arthur Foundation all in Abuja.
Responding, the Country Education Office Director of USAID, Ms. Denise O’Toole noted that USAID programmes currently are centered at the Northern parts of Nigeria where studies have shown that there is a high level of uneducated children and the prevalence of crisis hampering learning.
Ms. O’Toole said USAID’s current five-year programme is running its course with the “Feed the Future” and WASH which are a component of the EDTF’s thematic areas but regretted that until the cycle is completed, new items cannot be included.
She promised to partipate in the Round-Table and offered support in reaching out to other key actors in the education sector for the discussion programme.
On her part, Country Director of the Odyssey Foundation, Mrs. Stella Ify Uzochukwu-Denis highlighted areas of possible collaboration with the EDTF which include girl child education, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education amongst others.
Elated with the fact that the Bayelsa State Government has thought it wise to give attention to reviving boarding schools, Mrs. Uzochukwu-Denis informed that her foundation is involved in the training of teachers in various states of the country.
She also hinted that upon release of fund from its funding partners, the Odyssey Foundation will enlist Bayelsa State in its training of one hundred women in the recycling of used pure water sachet to produce educational materials like school bags and other consumables.
According to her, this will improve the environment and create job opportunity for the women in the select communities and also train others on how to manage children with Special Needs in the society.
Odyssey’s Country Director who promised to push for more programmes for Bayelsa State appealed to the State Ministry of Education for the provision of an office space in Yenagoa, the State Capital to establish its presence.
Mrs. Uzochukwu-Denis commended the Bayelsa State Government for its fore-sightedness in establishing the EDTF and promised to participate in the Round-Table Discussion and galvanize others to take part in the novel State driven programme.
The EDTF team also interacted with the Mc Arthur Foundation, the British Council, UNDP and UNICEF via zoom technology.
Signed:
Angese John
Chairman, Publicity & Sensitization Committee