Teachers and education managers in Lagos State are being equipped with new skills to help pupils understand climate change, protect their environment and adopt more sustainable habits in their schools and communities.
The initiative is part of a state-level training organised by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) under the Greening Schools and Climate Change Education Intervention (GSCCEI).
The training is designed to bring climate change education into everyday learning in public primary schools, while encouraging practices such as tree planting, responsible waste management, efficient use of resources and environmental conservation.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, UBEC State Director, Mr Joshua Arema, who represented the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Aisha Garba, said the programme would integrate environmental sustainability, climate education, green skills and climate-resilient practices into basic education.
Arema said the intervention supports the National Education Sector Renewal Initiative and Nigeria’s commitment to the UNESCO Greening Education Partnership.
She explained that the GSCCEI was developed after consultations with education institutions, government agencies, climate experts and other stakeholders, leading to the production of a National GSCCEI Implementation Guidelines and Handbook to guide implementation across the country.
To improve accountability, UBEC is also deploying a web-based Monitoring and Evaluation Portal that will enable real-time reporting and tracking of the intervention nationwide.
The Commission has appointed the African Centre for Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development (ACEARD) as the National Technical Consultant to provide technical and implementation support for the programme.
Representing the Executive Chairman of LASUBEB, Dr Hakeem Babatunde Shittu, Board Member Dr Saheed Ibikunle reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to creating safe, healthy, inclusive and environmentally sustainable learning environments for children across Lagos.
He noted that the Lagos State Government had continued to promote environmental sustainability through tree planting, responsible waste management and other initiatives aimed at making schools safer and healthier for pupils.
For LASUBEB, the training is also about turning climate awareness into practical action in classrooms and school communities.
Shittu charged Master Trainers, Education Secretaries, Directors, Desk Officers, School Managers, teachers and other participants to pass the knowledge gained to other education personnel, stressing that their ability to cascade the training would be critical to the success of the programme.
The training is expected to give education personnel practical tools for teaching children about climate change, conserving the environment, managing waste responsibly and using natural resources more efficiently.
Beyond the classroom, the organisers believe the intervention could help raise a generation of pupils who understand the environmental challenges facing Lagos and are prepared to play their part in building cleaner, safer and more climate-resilient communities.
