By Ademu Seidu,
Information Officer
Lokoja, February 25, 2020
The Kogi Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, has assured the National Mathematical Centre (NMC) Abuja of effective collaboration with the State Government in order to improve students’ performance in mathematics.
The Commissioner gave the assurance when a team from the National Mathematical Centre (NMC) Abuja, paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Tuesday in Lokoja, to acquaint him with the activities of the centre in the state.
”I am so impressed by the records you have shown us on Kogi State students’ performance in mathematical competitions and it gives me assurance of a better education in our State.
”We thank God for the initiation of the mathematical improvement project because the intervention is timely, God sent and divine,” he said.
The Commissioner, however, noted that the 25 schools benefitting from the MIP in Kogi, was too small compared to a total number of 283 schools in the entire state.
He, therefore, gave the assurance that the state government would key-in to ensure that more schools benefitted from the project, saying, ”by the grace of God, we are going to key in to ensure that more schools benefitted from the project”.
The Commissioner restated the commitment and determination of His Excellency Gov. Yahaya Bello, to repositioning and revamping education sector in Kogi State.
”According to the governor, if we fail to revamp education in Kogi, posterity will not forgive us.
”We will do everything that we need to do, we will do whatsoever it takes for more schools to benefit from the MIP,” Jones said.
Earlier, the NMC Team Lead, Mr Joel Olorunmaiye, said the purpose of the visit was to acquaint the Commissioner with some of the centre’s programs that have impacted the state positively, and to intimate him on the challenges facing the project due to the delay in payment of the state’s counterpart fund.
According to Joel, the Mathematics Improvement Project (MIP) is a project designed by NMC to improving students’ performance in mathematics at SSCE, NECO and JAMB.
He said that the MIP has about 25 pilot schools cut across the three senatorial districts of the state, adding that it was on record that students’ performance have improved significantly at those centres.
He noted the delay in payment of the state’s counterpart fund, has hampered on the training and retraining of teachers, supply of instructional materials and sponsorship of students for national and international Olympiads.
He, however, commended His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Bello, for sponsoring two students for international Olympiad in Iran and France in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
In his vote of thanks, the new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi, commended the centre for the partnership, and assured them of the state government commitment of improved collaboration on MIP activities in the state.
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