Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) has taken it's drive to woo more development partners to the State, the latest being the Canadian High Commission in Abuja
Speaking at the visit, Executive Secretary of the EDTF, Dr. Alice Atuwo appreciated the programmes and activities of the Canadian Government in Nigeria. Dr. Atuwo explained the reason for the establishment of the EDTF, it’s mandates, sources of funding, operation and challenges in the State education sector to include inadequate infrastructure and funding. The Executive Secretary stated that, Bayelsa State government has made tremendous effort at improving the standard of education in the State but however admitted that more needs to be done as government alone cannot tackle the plethora of needs in the sector, hence the desire for partnerships.
Earlier, acting Chairman of the EDTF, Professor Francis Sikoki applauded the High Commission for the numerous programmes executed in Nigeria and appealed for greater attention to be given to climate change issues which has exposed Bayelsa State to constant flooding.
Receiving the EDTF delegation, Mel Camaganacan, 2nd Secretary-Development said the Commission works through multilateral and bilateral partnership supports. She further said the multilateral programmes are done through the UN, World Bank and Global Partners for Education (GPE) while the bilateral are country to country based. The 2nd Secretary-Development said the High Commission has funded health, education and infrastructural projects through her partners like the PLAN International. She informed that the Canadian government has set out two hundred and seventy-seven million euros for interventions in Nigeria with talks on TVET programmes on-going.
On her part, the 1st Secretary and Senior Development Officer of the Commission, Likezo Karn informed the EDTF team that there is an annual Canadian fund for local initiative with smaller grants and urged the EDTF to take advantage of it.
The duo advised the EDTF to reach out to their partners for further discussions.
It would be recalled that the EDTF had paid similar visit to the European Union seeking for partnership in 2021, and the State has started benefitting from that visit.