Post by SSA.NEWMEDIA.ABIA (@SSANEWMEDIAABIA)
ABIA DEEPENS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION AS ASUBEB HOSTS GSCCEI STATE-LEVEL STEP-DOWN TRAINING
The Abia State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a sustainable, climate-resilient education system as the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), commenced the State-Level Step-Down Training for Master Trainers on the Greening Schools and Climate Change Education Intervention (GSCCEI) 2024.
The training, held at the ASUBEB Board Room, Umuahia, brought together education stakeholders, environmental experts, development partners, and participants drawn from the 17 LGEAs across the State to strengthen the integration of climate change education and environmental sustainability into basic education.
In her Keynote Address, the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Amb. Ezihe Lydia Onuoha, described climate change as one of the greatest challenges confronting humanity, stressing that schools must become centres for nurturing environmentally conscious learners equipped with the knowledge, values, and practical skills needed to safeguard the environment and build a sustainable future.
She noted that the Greening Schools and Climate Change Education Intervention aligns seamlessly with Governor Dr Alex Chioma Otti, OFR's transformative AbiaFirst Education Programme, which is repositioning the State's education sector through innovation, sustainability, technology, and global best practices and for championing climate-conscious educational initiatives.
“The Governor's unwavering investment in quality education continues to provide a solid foundation for initiatives that prepare learners for emerging global realities, including climate action and environmental responsibility”, she said.
Amb. Onuoha also expressed appreciation to the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Mrs Aisha Garba, and the GSCCEI Technical Team for their visionary leadership, commitment, and support toward promoting environmentally sustainable schools across Nigeria.
She urged participants to actively engage throughout the training, share experiences, and effectively cascade the knowledge acquired to schools across the State. "Together, we can build greener, safer, healthier and more resilient schools that will benefit not only our children but generations yet unborn," she stated.
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Mrs Aisha Garba, represented by the Academic Services Officer, Mr Madumere Victor, commended Governor Alex Otti for his remarkable strides in transforming education in Abia State and applauded the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB for the effective implementation of UBEC programmes and interventions.
She explained that the GSCCEI represents UBEC's strategic response to the growing global demand for climate-responsive education and aligns with the National Education Sector Renewal Initiative as well as Nigeria's commitment to the UNESCO Greening Education Partnership. According to her, the initiative integrates environmental sustainability, climate change education, green skills, and climate-resilient school practices into the nation's basic education system.
She disclosed that the programme emerged from an extensive consultative process involving Federal and State education institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, climate experts, academia, and civil society organisations, culminating in the development and approval of the National GSCCEI Implementation Guidelines and Handbook, which now serve as the official implementation framework across all 36 states and the FCT.
She encouraged participants to embrace the training with commitment and enthusiasm, noting that the knowledge acquired would enrich classroom instruction while contributing to a greener, healthier, and more resilient future for Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Team Lead of the GSCCEI Technical Working Group/Lead Facilitator, Mr Unyime Robinson, commended Governor Alex Otti for his administration's remarkable educational reforms and visionary policies, particularly the introduction of electric buses, which he described as a practical demonstration of environmental sustainability and a reflection of the principles underpinning the GSCCEI initiative.
He noted that the programme was simultaneously launched in Umuahia and Awka for the South-East geopolitical zone and would subsequently be implemented across the 36 States and the FCT.
“The intervention is designed to empower educators with climate-responsive teaching methodologies, facilitate the establishment of Green Schools and Climate Change Clubs, promote environmental stewardship, and prepare a new generation of environmentally responsible citizens capable of driving sustainable national development”.
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