Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
No less than 350 public and private school teachers in Edo and Delta states yesterday graduated from the Seplat JV Energy education empowerment programme for host communities.
The teachers were trained in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) under the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP).
The training, which was done in collaboration with NNPC Limited, was geared towards equipping the teachers with skills to effectively deliver STEAM knowledge to the students.
Director, of Seplat External Affairs and Sustainability, Chioma Afe, explained that the education value chain played a crucial role in shaping the workforce and fostering economic development.
Speaking at an education summit and graduation ceremony organised by Seplat JV and NNPCL in Benin City, capital of Edo State, Afe said collective efforts were vital in building a skilled and productive workforce .
She noted that despite efforts to increase access to quality education, disparities in resources persist across different regions, particularly in secondary education.
“We want to address the challenges within the education value chain, especially in the areas where Seplat and NNPC operate, as well as across the nation.
“At the foundation of the education value chain lies primary and secondary education, crucial for laying the groundwork for future learning.
“However, access to quality early education, especially in rural areas, remains a challenge, Afe said.
According to her, collaboration between the private sector, educational institutions, and the government is essential to improve the quality of teaching and learning outcomes.
Earlier, the Chief Operating Officer of Seplat JV, Mr Samson Ezugworie said, Seplat recognised the problem and the need to confront it head-on.
Ezugworie noted that Nigeria’s education system today was not where it should be adding that, Seplat understood its pivotal role in development, adding that if the youths of this country are not developed, there’s a problem.
“This shared drive among Seplat, our senior partners, and the state governments in the areas we operate is what propels us forward,” he said.
Delivering a goodwill message, Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Ovaiwe, thanked Seplat JV Energy and NNPCL for supporting teachers in Edo and Delta
Ovaiwe stated that, under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Edo State has focused on education reform for the past seven years through the Edo Best framework.
The Keynote speaker, Akinyele Akin-Olusoji, the Group Managing Director of NewGlobe said there was compelling evidence that improved quality of education, would produce a more educated and skilled labour force.
Speaking on the theme, transforming the Education Workforce; a Critical Success Factor to Nation Building, Akin-Olusoji said an improved education system would accelerate the GDP growth each year by 0.5% at the minimum.
