The Yobe state government and Mohammed I University, Morocco, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance education and research in the state.

This is contained in a statement by Mamman Mohammed, Gov Mai Mala Buni’s director-general, press and media affairs, in Damaturu on Thursday.

He said that the state commissioner for higher education, Muhammad Kawuwa and Yassine Zarhloule, president of the university, signed the MoU on behalf of the Yobe government and the university, respectively, in Oujda, Morocco, on Thursday.

Mr Mohammed said that the MoU would provide for an exchange programme for students and lecturers of the Mohammed I University and Yobe State University, Damaturu.

“The MoU sought for sabbatical programmes for lecturers in the Yobe State University and the Moroccan Premier University to go on exchange programmes in the two institutions.

He called on the Moroccan university to remain committed to the MoU, which would complement the government’s effort toward provision of qualitative education in the state.

Mr Kawuwa noted that the MoU was in addition to the summer school programme jointly already executed by the Yobe state University, Damaturu, and the University of Sussex, United Kingdom.

Mustapha Goniri, state commissioner for agriculture, urged the two institutions to work on the climatic and topographical similarities in Yobe state and Oudja to develop drought and rainfall resistant crops, cereals and vegetables.

Mohammed I University is the oldest university in Morocco with 90,000 students and 1,200 professors in various fields.

(NAN)