The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), in collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), have commenced a state-level step-down training for officers on the Greening Schools and Climate Change Education Intervention (GSCCEI).

The training which took place at the SUBEB Conference Room, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, brought together Desk officers from the Board, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Local Government Education Authorities, Ministry of Agriculture, School-Based Management Committees (SBMC), African Green-up Initiative, among other stakeholders.

Declaring the training open, Chairman of the Board, Evang. Olalekan Ifede, represented by the Director, Academic and School Services, Mrs. Kehinde Anifowose, said the programme was designed to strengthen the capacity of key education stakeholders and master trainers at the State level for effective implementation of the intervention.

He said the initiative was in line with UBEC-approved implementation guidelines and the national agenda on climate change education and sustainable development.

Ifede, described GSCCEI as a strategic national initiative, aimed at mainstreaming environmental sustainability, climate change education as well as green school practices into the basic education system.

 “To all concerned stakeholders present today, we are the drivers of climate change and it is our collective responsibility to make our schools and homes eco-friendly environment,” he said.

Also speaking, the UBEC Coordinator, Mr. Sola Badmus, said GSCCEI, formerly known as Agricultural Enterprise Training Programme (AETP),  was the Commission’s strategic response to the need for integrating environmental sustainability into basic education.

According to him, the initiative aligned with the National Education Sector Renewal Initiative and Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The facilitator, an Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Zange Pius, said the objectives of GSCCEI included promoting hands-on learning in areas such as recycling, renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture, while building the knowledge, skills and values needed to make learners, teachers and administrators green champions, adding that the intervention would support eco-friendly and climate-resilient school infrastructure.

He said the training would also focus on domiciling GSCCEI in academic services, sensitising schools, evaluating proposals, supervising and monitoring implementation, ensuring compliance, mobilising community support, strengthening school-community engagement and safeguarding project proceeds, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, the Desk Officer on Climate Change from the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Wasiu Abajo, appreciated UBEC and SUBEB for organising the training and promised that participants would cascade the knowledge gained to their various places of assignment.