By Abbas Nazil
The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, and other stakeholders, has taken climate change education and environmental protection campaigns to communities across the state’s three senatorial districts.
The initiative also combined environmental advocacy with efforts to return out-of-school children to classrooms through the distribution of learning kits under Project BRACE-UP.
The campaign, organised by UBEC, Benue SUBEB, Benue Links Nigeria Limited and Makurdi Local Government Council, engaged traditional rulers, community leaders, parents, religious leaders, education officials and School-Based Management Committees, among others.
Activities were held at RCM Pilot Primary School, Tordonga, Katsina-Ala, for Zone A, the Ter Makurdi’s Office in Makurdi for Zone B, and RCM Primary School, Engila, Agatu Local Government Area, for Zone C.
Representing the Director-General of the Benue State Council on Climate Change, Dr Daniel Mailumo, Dr Steve Ahile explained the effects of climate change and called for stronger environmental action at community level.
He encouraged schools and communities to adopt tree planting and other practices that could help reduce environmental degradation and strengthen resilience to climate change.
Mailumo said government could not protect the environment alone, stressing that communities and schools must participate actively in efforts to safeguard natural resources.
The Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at Benue SUBEB, Comr. Patricia Gbuuga, said 500 children had already been enrolled through Project BRACE-UP, with learning materials provided to support their return to school.
She said the programme was designed to identify children who were out of school, enrol them and provide the support required for them to participate in formal education.
The Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Dr Grace Adagba, said the greening campaign formed part of the board’s efforts to place schools and communities at the centre of environmental action.
Adagba said SUBEB had already planted 80 trees in 40 schools as part of its tree planting campaign.
She also disclosed that Greening Clubs had been established in 20 schools, while 80 teachers from 40 schools across the three senatorial districts had received training on greening schools and climate change education.
She said the interventions were intended to improve school environments while helping pupils, teachers and communities develop stronger awareness of environmental protection.
As part of the latest campaign, 100 school kits were distributed to out-of-school children in each of the three senatorial districts identified for enrolment under Project BRACE-UP.
Tree planting activities were also conducted during the campaign to promote greener school environments and encourage communities to participate in climate action.
The General Manager of Benue Links, Comr. Alexander Fanafa, and the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Council, Hon. Joseph Keffi, expressed support for the campaign during activities in Zones A and B respectively.
The campaign also sought to strengthen community ownership of both environmental protection and basic education by involving traditional institutions, religious organisations and local leaders.
Participants included Mue-Ter Masev, Chief Clement Kurugh, Mue-Ter Ipusu, Chief Bernard Ayolave, District Head of Agatu, Chief Jibrin Abubakar, Chief Imam of Agatu, Ochepo Mohammed, and CAN Vice Chairman, Rev. Terwase Ugbede.
Other community leaders, religious representatives, parents and education stakeholders participated in the activities held across the three senatorial districts.
