By Leonard Okachie
A former federal legislator, Chief Sam Onuigbo, has urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to fast-track the implementation of Section 26 of the Climate Change Act.
He also called on the Committee of Deans of Education in Nigerian Universities (CODENU), to collaborate closely with school authorities and NUC for the implementation.
He made the call at the ongoing Annual General Meeting and Conference of CODENU, being held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onuigbo is a member (South East) on the Governing Board and Chairman, Committee on Security, Climate Change and Special Interventions, North East Development Commission.
He is also the sponsor of the Climate Change Act 2021 and two-term former member of the House of Representatives for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia.
Onuigbo, who was a Special Guest, made a presentation entitled, “Climate Change Act 2021 and its Nexus with Education in Nigeria.”
He emphasised that the implementation by NUC was crucial to ensuring that the country’s education system contributed actively to tackling climate change.
Onuigbo explained that Section 26 of the Act was a key provision that underlined the role of education in addressing climate change.
He said that the section emphasised the integration of climate change education across all levels of the national education system.
According to him, it specifically mandated the establishment of educational curricula that incorporate climate change topics within various disciplines.
He encouraged all stakeholders to leverage the climate change policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He said: “Together, we must collaborate with the National Council on Climate Change to develop a concrete action plan.
“This plan should define clear strategies to integrate climate change education across all levels of education in Nigeria, preparing future generations to tackle environmental challenges.”
In a speech, the Chairman of CODENU, Prof. Ursula Akanwa, described the conference as a strategic conclave of minds united by a shared mission.
Akanwa, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor(Administration), MOUAU, said that the mission was to critically interrogate, innovate and reposition the nation’s education sector.
“In Nigeria, we must begin to harness the full spectrum of Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) capabilities to solve enduring educational challenges.
“However, we must also approach AI with a discerning and ethically anchored mindset,” she said.
In a remark, Prof. Rose Uzoka, Chairman, Local Organising Committee and Dean, College of Education, MOUAU, expressed gratitude to CODENU, for choosing the institution as its host university.
She said the conference provided an avenue for the deans to come together to cross fertliise ideas and generate innovative policy frameworks to foster education practice in Nigeria.(NAN)
