The Development of Educational Action Network (DEAN), an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to mainstream climate change as a subject in the educational curriculum to address environmental hazards.
The organisation made the call during a news conference and presentation of a new curriculum in Abuja, to guide climate education in Nigeria.
Mr Michael Semiye, said the call became necessary, looking at some key causes of climate change in the country, which include; desertification, herder/Farmer clashes, flooding, insecurity and drought among others.
He explained that the UN Framework Convention on Climate change to which Nigeria is a signatory listed six key solutions to climate change and education is one of them.
“As an organisation, we want to emphasise that there is no more excellent tool to change the world than through education.
“Students must understand that climate change is not just a threat, it is a reality resulting in social, economic, and environmental instability in a country that is already vulnerable.
“Our contextualised resources for the classroom include all these issues and possible solutions so that future generations in Nigeria can be climate champions.
“We are also calling on the ministries of Education and Environment to forge beneficial collaboration on this subject.
“The world is making gradual progress in climate education. Already, countries are now making climate education laws.
“We are passionate about this, because we believe climate literacy can give people the tools to engage meaningfully with governments and corporations to help solve climate change” he said.
Semiye while commending the federal government for its efforts at combating climate change recommended a new curriculum to aid the teaching of Climate change education in schools.
“We also applauded the federal government through the Ministry of Environment for implementing various initiatives in tackling the climate change crisis, as demonstrated in their ambitious plan in the NDC.
“As we share this Climate Education Learning Curriculum for Climate Change Educators’ use, we ask that more urgent and sustainable actions be implemented to solidify ongoing climate interventions by the government and other relevant stakeholders.
The organisation also urged government to advance the teachings of climate change in Nigeria as well as curb the dangers associated with the lack of it.
“Through the Ministries of Education and Environment, the Federal Government can draft a review process that will include climate education in relevant subjects across primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
” Environmental/Green clubs can function across schools, which will be duly regularised.
“Students can participate in extracurricular activities that equip them with knowledge of nature, biodiversity, climate change, and environmental stewardship, including environment/climate literature as part of approved reading literature for pupils/students across schools in Nigeria.”
Ms Emikay Obeinde, a Climate Change Educator with the One Teacher Nigeria at the briefing said Climate Change Education for young children was necessary adding that children could expand on what is currently being done.
“I don’t think we can overemphasize the importance of educators in climate change education because we are basically shaping the next generation.
“All we are doing now is to raise awareness but the next generation will do the work, they will carry on what we are doing.
“I believe it is essential that they start learning to appreciate the environment, they start learning to take care of the environment from a young age and use materials that the world’s largest lesson has developed.
“We have educators teaching children, as early as two, three, about appreciating the education” she said.
Similarly Mr Etta Michael, Abuja Bureau Chief of Enviro News who participated at the recently concluded Climate Change Conference in Egypt said climate change education was a necessity for citizens.
Ms Rebecca Odugbose, Programme Officer of DEAN also stressed the importance of education as a way to salvage the fast degrading earth surface.
NAN
