By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

Nigerian secondary schools will soon get course books for the teaching of insurance as a subject, as the governing Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, is putting modalities in place to realise this.

President of the CIIN, Mr. Fatai Lawal disclosed this at a press briefing during the 2013 insurance professionals’ forum held in Ibadan last Thursday.

According to Lawal, the move is necessary as a complimentary effort in actualising the approval of insurance by the Federal Ministry of Education as a course of study for Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.

Lawal said, “The Governing Council has commenced action on the most critical steps necessary for achieving the desired objectives of this presidency. For example, we have inaugurated a committee of writers with a deadline to produce an insurance course book for the teaching of insurance in secondary schools. This vital step is not only desirable as our contribution to the body of knowledge on insurance but also critical as a complimentary effort in actualising the approval of insurance by the Federal Ministry of Education as a course of study for Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.”

Lawal said that other fundamental steps are being taken in pursuit of the broad objectives of the theme of his presidency which are, providing support for accredited tertiary institutions offering insurance to enhance their capacity to offer quality education; as well as reinforcing activities at the College of Insurance and Financial Management where the second phase of construction work is in progress, which involves the construction of a 50 rooms hall of residence and two, three-bedroom flats for lecturers.

On the Insurance Industry Consultative Committee, IICC, which was newly inaugurated, Lawal said that it is to serve as a springboard for harnessing industry views and providing a unified voice for interactions with government and other stakeholders as well as also serve as a veritable tool for conflict resolution within the industry.

“It is pertinent to state that the inauguration of the Insurance Industry Consultative Committee has guaranteed the fact that our Institute will be acting in concert with the rest of the insurance industry in breaking down the barriers militating against insurance and financial literacy. We have also received the assurances of the leadership of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) towards the institution of a lasting legacy across all levels of insurance awareness, insurance education and continuous professional development of our members.

We are therefore harnessing the necessary human and material resources towards, the renovation of existing libraries in selected secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigerian; the promotion of academic excellence in insurance departments in institutions of higher learning, this will involve the institution of best graduating student awards in selected schools, particularly those accredited by the CIIN; as well as scholarship awards to exceptional graduands in insura
nce for Post Graduate Degree programmes.

Others are “Discounted examination fees for students to attract more entries in the Institute’s Professional Examinations as well as to celebrate and reward excellent achievements in the Institute’s Professional Examinations.”

I