The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) has signed a strategic partnership with the Ambassadors of Dialogue, Climate and Reintegration (DCR Ambassadors) to promote climate education and awareness across Nigerian states with focus on North East starting from Adamawa state as a pilot state. The climate education and awareness project will use the Climate Education Handbook Co-created by SPP and their partners with funding from the University of Bristol, UK.
DCR Ambassadors in partnership with other stakeholders under the umbrella of the Climate Champion Consortium (CCC) is set to implement a six-month climate education programme in Adamawa State. Themed “Accelerating Climate Education through Gamified Action in Junior and Senior Secondary Schools,” the initiative aims to empower teachers and students in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states of North East Nigeria with the knowledge and tools needed to respond to climate challenges.
This intervention is timely and crucial at a time where awareness has remained low – especially in the North East region where environmental degradation, food insecurity and displacement have been exacerbated by climate change.
Speaking on the partnership, Sir Richard Inyamkume, Founder and President of DCR Ambassadors, commended the quality of the manual and its relevance as a resource in advancing climate education in Nigeria.
“The Consortium has unanimously agreed to adopt the manual as a core resource for engaging both teachers and students during the pilot phase and throughout the project. We believe this will significantly enhance the quality and consistency of climate education delivered through our initiative,” he said.
Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, President of SPP, who secured the funding from University of Bristol and led the effort that developed the manual, expressed strong support for the partnership, describing it as an important step toward building a climate-literate generation.
“I am proud to see that the climate education manual will serve as a tool for transformative learning in Adamawa State and the rest of the Northeast Nigeria in line with the vision I had when I approached the University of Bristol to fund this project. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that no region, particularly those most vulnerable to climate impacts, is left behind in the global push for climate action,” he stated.
The project is expected to reach hundreds of students and educators across the North East, starting from Adamawa State, as part of continuous groundwork for a nationwide rollout and further institutionalisation of climate education in Nigeria’s school curricula.
The climate education manual, was developed in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change (DCC)- Federal Ministry of Environment, Secondary Education Borad of the FCT, Department of science, technology and innovation of the FCT; Clean Technology Hub Nigeria; the Office of the First Lady, Enugu State Government; Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD-AFUNAI), Ebonyi State; Eco-cyclers; Renewable Energy Training Institute; and Sustyvibes.
The manual was co-created with students, teachers and educational stakeholders.
By Ugochukwu Uzuegbu, Communication Specialist, SPP, and Elochukwu Anieze, Senior Policy Analyst, SPP