Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to boosting the capacity and professionalism of its Education Corps.
Speaking on Tuesday in Ilorin at the opening of a joint quarterly conference and innovation exhibition, Oluyede said the move aligns with his command philosophy for effective service delivery.
The event, themed “Enhancing NAEC Professional Competencies for Effective Service Delivery,” began on Monday and will conclude on June 27.
Represented by Maj.- Gen. Ayoola Aboaba, Deputy Chief of Army Training, Army Headquarters, the COAS said that the five days conference aligned with his two key pillars of philosophy of sound administration and professionalism.
He noted that the Nigerian Army commitment to the NAEC was to enable it to meet up with the evolving demands of military administration, education and operations in the country.
The COAS added that the conference presented an opportunity for the corps to evaluate the transformational initiative instituted by the current leadership.
”We will also be able to refine them where necessary so as to ensure better service delivery for Army personnel and their families.
”The conference will further seek to optimise the competencies in the NAEC as we continually review our operational techniques, training manuals, and curriculum to meet the demands of contemporary security threats,” he said.
The army boss revealed that notable initiatives were already designed to ameliorate the pressure on army personnel as they seek qualitative education for their wards within the economic realities.
“According to him, initiatives such as the upward review of ration cash allowance in the commands’ boarding schools and the first phase of renovation of selected command secondary schools across the six geo-political zones are underway.
”Let me reassure you that within the limit of resources, the army headquarters will continue to address the challenges of manpower deficiencies in key competencies.
”This is a mark of my commitment towards supporting the corps in achieving its mandate.
“I therefore urge participants to see this conference as an opportunity to deliberate and brainstorm on better ways to move the corps forward in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.”
Oluyede also said that the innovation exhibition would provide an avenue for secondary and tertiary institutions administered by the corps to demonstrate their innovative capabilities.
He commended the visionary leadership of the corps and urged them to sustain the effort by leveraging available intellectual resources to address important scientific development.
He further advised the gathering to use the opportunity of the conference to refine the curriculum of command schools with a view to deepening the exposure of students to technological advancements in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, robotics and quantum technologies.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commander, Army Education Corps, Maj.-Gen. Adebukola Oguntola, said that the event was not only for knowledge sharing purposes, but an opportunity to chart a progressive course for the future of the NAEC in an ever-evolving environment.
Oguntola appreciated the COAS for his consistent support and strategic vision for the corps.
He noted that the theme of the event, also serves as a timely reminder of NAEC’s strategic duty to build a competent, adaptive and forward-looking corps, well-positioned to support the operational and educational needs of a modern and evolving Nigerian Army.
“As we engage in discussions throughout this conference, let us reflect on the critical roles that research, development and innovation play within our strategic framework.
”The strides we are making in these areas are essential in maintaining our competitive edge and for crafting practical solutions to contemporary challenges.
”Together, let us ensure that the educational system remains relevant, effective and future-ready because the decisions and strategies we develop here will shape the future of our corps,” he said.
NAN reports that highlights of the event include exhibitions of innovative products and projects, presented by students from various colleges and tertiary institutions under the NAEC.
