The British Council has promised to priotise the development and growth of sustainable and relevant education that would address the needs of Africa’s stakeholders.
This is as the Council is set to partner with the Federal Ministry of Education (FMoE) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) in hosting the upcoming “Going Global Africa 24/25 Regional Conference”.
The conference will be taking place in Africa for the first time in its 20 year history and Nigeria has been selected as the host country.
The Director of Programmes, British Council, Mr chikodi Onyemerela said this at a Regional Conference on the 2024 Going Global Africa in Abuja on Wednesday.
Onyemerela, who spoke to the conference’s broader goals, focusing on strengthening partnerships and collaboration, assured that the conference would drive effective educational outcomes across the continent.
“This conference will achieve a strengthening of assessments and partnerships.
“We expect over 400,000 audience and we hope that this will pave way for more opportunities that are locked in educational system.
“We are priortising the development of sustainable educational system with the capability to effectively address the needs of Africa’s most vital stakeholders and constituents,” Onyemerela stated.
He urged Nigeria to take advantage of the opportunities available in the conference to strengthen the education system for the better.
“British Council have a long time positive relationship with the federal government of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education,
and that National University Commission (NUC).
“With these collaborations, we will foster impactful outcome at the end of the conference,”he said.
Also, the Regional Director of Higher Education at the British Council, Adetomi Soyinka, said the conference would create a platform for global developing intervention and sharing ideas and knowledge on new development in the sector.
Soyinka acknowledged the complexities involved in hosting such a large-scale event but expressed confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to deliver.
“Nigeria is a fantastic country, and I am proud to have this conference delivered here. The success of the conference hinges on the support from various national and international bodies.
Soyinka elaborated on the meticulous planning involved, including the establishment of a Local Organising Committee and an operations team within the British Council.
She said the conference also aimed to address critical issues such as economic development and investment in Africa.
She said by fostering partnerships between private sector organisations and academic institutions, the event seeks to drive socio-economic progress across the continent.
Outlining the conference’s objectives, she said “The goals are to support learning, foster collaboration, and facilitate the exchange of ideas.
“The British Council aims to leverage technology to expand the conference’s reach. Sessions will be live-streamed to engage a global audience, ensuring that insights and discussions extend beyond the physical confines of the event.
“We are using technology to ensure broader participation and to cascade the outcomes to a wider audience,” Soyinka noted.
Meanwhile, the Director of Tertiary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Rakiya Ilyasu expressed her gratitude for hosting the conference in Nigeria.
She said the ministry would be willing to contribute to the ongoing development towards advancing higher education landscape of the country.
The Going Global Conference would be hosted by the British Council in Africa and by extension Nigeria for the first time after 20 years of its existence.
It is aimed at creating a forum for exchange of knowledge and build a future for better educational system.
The conference scheduled to hold between Nov. 26 to 28 would open a space for discussion among stakeholders in educational sector and finding solutions to the sector’s need.