The Ogun State government said that it has deployed technological innovation to mitigate the effects of climate change in schools across the state, to create a conducive learning environment.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye, disclosed this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Wednesday.
Speaking on the topic titled: “Education and Industrialisation in Ogun State: Technological Development For Mitigating Climate Change,” during the tour of the state by the participants of the Senior Executive Course, SEC, 45, 2023 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Jos, Ogunleye said part of the technology deployed includes renewable energy through the installation of solar-powers in schools.
She added that teachers were also trained to make them become active citizens and earth protection ambassadors with leadership skills for the promotion of Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, noting that the creation of eco-friendly teaching and learning was stimulated through the intervention.
The permanent secretary further stated that the state government, in collaboration with Nestle Nigeria Plc, had sponsored the training of 150 students on Climate Change Development Initiative, insisting that this really helped the state contingents during the last edition of JETS competition to win several awards for converting waste materials to valuable products, such as interlock bricks.
She added, “The Prince Dapo Abiodun-led government has invested heavily in infrastructural development, training and retraining of the workforce, with motivating incentives, provision of necessary facilities to aid learning with focus to institutionalize qualitative education for all irrespective of social status.”
Mrs Ogunleye added that tree plantation was included in secondary school curriculum as a topic under social studies, as part of the measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, noting that the school segment of the annual planting of one million trees by the state Ministry of Forestry was carried out by students.
Meanwhile, in their separate presentations, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Charles Adekoya, and the Director, Institute of Vocational Training and Research in Agriculture, Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun, Ogun State, Prof. Akiyode Olawunmi, suggested renewable energy through the plantation of wind farm to mitigate the effects of climate change, submitting that access to energy have positive impacts on people’s health and on the economy of the nation at large.
In her remarks, the Head of the NIPSS Team, Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, assured the state government of the group’s support to further achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, saying that choosing Ogun State as their course of study has been a blessing to them.
