The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Early Childhood Development Initiative (ECDI), a Canadian education group, to advance reforms in Nigeria’s secondary education system.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Commission’s Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Fatima Bappare.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Secretary of NSSEC, Dr. Iyela Ajayi, said the partnership is part of the Commission’s broader efforts to restore excellence, equity, and innovation across the country’s senior secondary education landscape.
Ajayi described the collaboration as a significant milestone in NSSEC’s drive to build international alliances that promote technology integration, knowledge sharing, and cross-border cooperation in educational development.
He explained that the agreement would facilitate institutional linkages between Nigerian secondary schools and Canadian educational institutions, as well as the co-design of professional learning programmes aligned with NSSEC’s curriculum reform priorities and Canada’s best practices.
Ajayi reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to implementing the objectives of the MoU, emphasizing that such partnerships are crucial to achieving NSSEC’s vision of a globally competitive secondary education system in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Chairman of ECDI Canada, Mr. Olumuyiwa Falope, noted that ECDI’s programmes focus on STEM education, digital literacy, research, teacher capacity development, and inclusive, culturally responsive learning — areas that align closely with Nigeria’s current education reform agenda.
Falope added that ECDI, an international education development body incorporated under the laws of Ontario, has a proven record of collaboration with public institutions, development agencies, and community organisations in Canada and beyond.
He expressed optimism that the partnership would provide a framework for sustained collaboration aimed at improving the quality and inclusiveness of secondary education in Nigeria.
