Synergy between Chinese Embassy and Education Board, mutually beneficial – Director

By Ochiaka Ugwu

The Director/Secretary of Federal Capital territory, Abuja Secondary Education Board, Dr Muhammed Sani Ladan has said the collaboration between Chinese Embassy and the FCT Secondary Education Board has been that of mutual benefit to both countries.

Ladan who made this known Tuesday at the Commissioning of Chinese Corner and Award Ceremony for the 2024 Chinese Ambassador Drawing Competition at Government Secondary School Wuse Zone 3, Abuja noted the Corners served as a resource Center for Chinese education and hubs for cultural exchange between Nigeria and China.

His words, “You may need to know that this is the 12th Chinese Corner with the FCT-SEB schools and the 13th Nationwide. The Chinese Embassy Nigeria has inaugurated the first Chinese Corner on the 16th February 2013 at GSS Garki Area 10 and since then it has been a success story all through.

“The Corners serve as a resource Center for Chinese education and also serves as hubs for cultural exchange between Nigeria and China. It may interest you to know further that, the collaboration between Chinese Embassy and the FCT Secondary Education Board has been that of mutual benefit to both countries.

“While the Chinese gain a cultural exposure to the young generation of Nigerians, the Nigerian students and staff on the other hand, gain capacity building, scholarship and educational support.

“May I use this opportunity to express the gratitude of the Board to Chinese Embassy Nigeria for their unrelenting efforts in the development of education and Culture in Nigeria. The Chinese Corners provides the students ample opportunities to learn mandarin and seek scholarships in China to further their studies.

“In addition, today we are also going to witness the Award ceremony of the 2024 Chinese Ambassador Drawing Competition tagged “Nihao China”, Students from the 12 Chinese Corner schools have submitted their entries for the annual competition and it has been appraised” he said.

Also speaking, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Yu Dunhai who described China as a developing nation said that rise in high level education greatly helped China to development and stressed the need for nations to improve on high level education for economic and social development.

In her opening remark, Principal of Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 3, Mrs. Josephine Ugwu said GSS Wuse was a bastion of Nigerian public secondary education excellence, and indeed proud to have been selected to host the Chinese Cultural Centre which was aimed at fostering cultural exchange and language education.

She said the school boasts of modern amenities, qualified teachers, brilliant and dedicated students, all of whom contribute to the success of their educational mandate.

An winner in the drawing competition, Mohammed Abudulkadir from Suleja Secondary School thanked China for organizing the competition stating that China has done well by exposing him to the nitty gritty of drawing exercise.

Another winner, Ogbu Chidera Destiny of Government Secondary School, Jabi said he was so excited and overwhelmed for winning.

He hailed China for promoting learning in Nigeria and spreading prosperity.