By Abdullahi Lukman
The Enugu State Government has stepped up efforts at building climate awareness among young people with a one-day capacity-building training for teachers and students on the use of its Climate Education Manual, launched in March 2025.
The training, held at the Parliament Hall of the Post-Primary Schools Management Board, gathered over 50 students, teachers, and education stakeholders.
The Climate Education Manual—co-created by teachers and students under the leadership of Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, with support from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom—aims to equip learners with practical knowledge and skills to understand and tackle climate change.
Speaking at the event, the wife of the Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, represented by Mrs. Chinyere Ugwu, wife of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, described the initiative as a laudable step toward raising environmentally conscious citizens.
“The role of teachers is critical in making this process a success, to train the students to be climate ambassadors,” she said.
The Commissioner for Environment, Prof. Sam Ugwu, represented by the Director of the Department of Climate Change, Dr. Nnamdi Arum, commended the organisers for empowering young people to respond to climate challenges.
He noted that the manual would help foster a culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility in schools and communities.
Organised by the Society for Planet and Prosperity in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady and the Senior Adviser to the Governor on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development, the programme featured expert-led sessions on key topics, including climate change causes, renewable energy, clean cooking, water and sanitation, and green careers.
Participants also engaged in practical demonstrations on recycling, such as making briquettes from waste materials and ottoman chairs from plastic waste.
Chairman of the Post-Primary Schools Management Board, Rev. Fr. Hillary Mgbodile, praised the initiative and called for its expansion to more schools.
Similarly, Mrs. Zita Oba, Director of Schools Services in the Ministry of Education, represented by Mrs. Agbo Nkem, urged that the programme be extended to primary schools for greater impact.
The organisers said the next phase of the project would sim at establishing Green Clubs in secondary schools across Enugu State, serving as pilot hubs to promote sustainability and environmental awareness.
