The International Bureau of Education, the world`s leading curriculum organisation, elected Nigeria’s Prof. Godswill Obioma, as its president.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Assistant, Media, to the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, in Abuja on Thursday.
It stated that the election of Obioma, who is the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, was done at the 63rd Annual Conference of IBE on Wednesday in Geneva.
It said the election of Obioma was facilitated by a high-powered Federal Government delegation led by Wike.
Wike was quoted as saying: “the election of a Nigerian for such an important position was an acknowledgement by the international community of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration efforts at improving the country’s curriculum and basic education.
“The ministry will continue to partner with the IBE and other educational agencies of the United Nations in its quest to ensure that all less privileged Nigerians have access to quality education at the tertiary and basic levels.
“Let me assure IBE member states of Nigeria’s unflinching support to take IBE to the next level.
“I reiterate our commitment to the objectives of IBE, and urge you all to support Obioma as president of the IBE for the next two years,’’ it said.
In his acceptance speech, Obioma said he would initiate strategies to ensure that IBE became more effective in the discharge of its duties.
Obioma said the confidence reposed in him by several countries across regional lines would be rewarded by hard work from him and untiring commitment by the Nigerian government.
The Director of IBE, Dr Clementina Acedo, said that the election of Nigeria as president of IBE was a reward for the long years of commitment of the Federal Government to educational development.
The outgone president, Ole Brisied of Norway, urged member states to extend their support to the new president and Nigeria for the next two years.
Obioma was nominated for the IBE presidency by the Minister of Secondary and Higher Education of Burkina Faso, Prof. Moussa Ouatarra.
Quatarra’s nomination was seconded by several Ministers of Education led by Prof. Liesma Ose, representative of Minister of Social Cohesion of Latvia, Riga.
