A former member of the House of the Representatives that represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Chief Sam Onuigbo, says the implementation of the section 26 of the climate change act by the National Universities Commission (NUC) is crucial to ensuring that the country’s education system contributes actively to tackling climate change.
Speaking at the ongoing Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Committee of Deans of Education in Nigerian Universities, CODENU, being held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia, Chief Onuigbo emphasised that the implementation by NUC was crucial to ensuring that the country’s education system contributed actively to tackling climate change.
While calling on the body to fast-track the implementation of that Section of the climate act change, he charged CODENU to collaborate closely with school authorities and NUC for the implementation.
The former National Assembly member, who made a presentation entitled, “Climate Change Act 2021 and its Nexus with Education in Nigeria” at the event, explained that Section 26 of the Act was a key provision that underlined the role of education in addressing climate change.
The sponsor of the Climate Change Act 2021 and a member (South East) on the Governing Board of North East Development Commission noted that the section emphasised the integration of climate change education across all levels of the national education system.
He therefore encouraged all stakeholders to leverage on the climate change policies introduced by the Bola Tinubu administration.
“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,” the two term former House of Representatives member observed.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, expressed confidence that the conference would proffer solutions to the challenges in Education sector especially on how to tackle issues of artificial intelligence in the Education, poor enrollment in the Universities, and the methodologies for effective teaching and learning in the 21st century Universities.
Prof Iwe lauded Chief Onuigbo for his dogged effort in ensuring the restoration of Management Courses delisted by NUC, declaring that it will ever remain indelible in the minds of the University community .
Presenting a speech, the Chairman of CODENU, Prof. Ursula Akanwa, described the conference as a strategic conclave of minds united by a shared mission, adding that the gathering will 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,” Prof Akanwa asserted.
Contributing, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee and Dean, College of Education, MOUAU, Prof Rose Uzoka while thanking CODENU, for choosing the institution as its host university, pointed out that the conference provides an avenue for the cross fertilization of ideas and generation of innovative policy frameworks by the Deans to foster education practice in Nigeria.
