The Federal Ministry of Education and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have endorsed three books on climate change to promote awareness and alleviate the issue in schools.
Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, stated that the books, ‘Climate Change Education for Schools in Nigeria,’ ‘Early Warning: A Guide to Protecting Schools in Nigeria,’ and ‘Managing School-Related Violence in Nigeria,’ are not mere documents. Instead, they represent a commitment to the well-being of students.
Enitan, representing Larai Nana Ahmed, Director in charge of Education Support Services, stated that climate change education will empower schoolchildren to be responsible citizens and be more conscious of the environment.
Nneka Ogbansiegbe, an education specialist who represented Vanessa Lee, the UNICEF Chief of Education in Nigeria, stated that the Federal Ministry of Education developed the National Policy for Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools in conjunction with the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools. Ogbansiegbe stated that the policy was implemented in 6,000 schools twice in 2023. Findings showed result showed that only 1 in 5 schools are implementing 70% of the minimum standards for safe schools.
She mentioned that UNICEF extended the survey to 16,023 schools in 18 states (Adamawa, Plateau, Lagos, Zamfara, Oyo, Niger, Jigawa, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Kebbi, Kano, Gombe, Kaduna, Sokoto, Bauchi, and Katsina) in 2024. The 2024 findings showed that only one in four schools is implementing at least 70% of the minimum standards. The goal of endorsing the book aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action).
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