...supply kits to out-of-school children

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, and other stakeholders, has taken the advocacy for greener schools and communities to the grassroots across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The campaign, which focused on environmental protection, climate change education and improved access to basic education, brought together traditional rulers, local government officials, education stakeholders, parents, religious leaders, opinion leaders, School-Based Management Committees, SBMCs, and other community representatives.

The initiative was organised by UBEC, Benue SUBEB, Benue Links Nigeria Limited and Makurdi Local Government Council.

The campaign was held in Zone A at RCM Pilot Primary School, Tordonga, Katsina-Ala; Zone B at the Ter Makurdi’s Office, Makurdi; and Zone C at RCM Primary School, Engila, Agatu LGA.

Speaking on the initiative, the Director-General, Benue State Council on Climate Change, Dr Daniel Mailumo, represented by Dr Steve Ahile, explained the realities and effects of climate change, stressing the need for deliberate action to protect the environment.

He urged schools and communities to embrace tree planting and other practices capable of mitigating the effects of climate change.

Mailumo said environmental protection could not be left to government alone, noting that schools and communities had important roles to play in promoting practices that would preserve the environment for future generations.

Also speaking, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Benue SUBEB, Comr. Patricia Gbuuga, highlighted the implementation of Project BRACE-UP, an intervention designed to identify, enrol and support children who are currently out of school.

She disclosed that 500 out-of-school children had so far been enrolled through the programme and provided with learning materials.

Gbuuga said the intervention was aimed at ensuring that children who had been left out of the formal education system were identified and given the opportunity to return to school.

In her keynote address, the Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Dr Grace Adagba, linked the greening campaign to the broader vision of Governor Hyacinth Alia, stressing that schools and communities must remain central to efforts to tackle climate change.

Adagba said, “When environmental consciousness is instilled in children and reinforced within their communities, schools become powerful platforms for creating lasting behavioural change.”

She recalled some of the greening interventions already undertaken by SUBEB, including the Tree Planting Campaign, under which 80 trees were planted in 40 schools.

According to her, the board had also established Greening Clubs in 20 schools and trained 80 teachers from 40 schools across the three senatorial districts on greening schools and climate change education.

Adagba said the interventions were designed not only to improve the physical environment of schools but also to build environmental consciousness among pupils, teachers and communities.

The General Manager of Benue Links, Comr. Alexander Fanafa, and the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Council, Hon. Joseph Keffi, who spoke at the campaigns in Zones A and B respectively, expressed support for the initiative and commended the achievements of the Alia administration in the education sector.

A major component of the campaign across the three zones was the distribution of 100 school kits to out-of-school children in each zone identified for enrolment under Project BRACE-UP.

The exercise also featured the symbolic planting of trees as part of efforts to promote greener and more environmentally friendly schools and communities.

The campaign further provided an opportunity for traditional institutions, religious bodies, education stakeholders and community leaders to take ownership of environmental protection and basic education initiatives.

Among those who participated in the events were Mue-Ter Masev, Chief Clement Kurugh, Mue-Ter Ipusu, Chief Bernard Ayolave, the District Head of Agatu, Chief Jibrin Abubakar, Chief Imam of Agatu, Ochepo Mohammed, and the Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Terwase Ugbede.

Other religious leaders, community representatives and education stakeholders also attended the events across the three senatorial districts.