BY JIMOH AKEEM BOLAJI
A climate education advocate has called on the Nigerian government to make climate change a standalone subject in schools, arguing that young people already experience the effects of global warming firsthand but lack structured knowledge and practical tools to respond effectively.
The call was made by Climate Champion and Sustainable Development Advocate, Obetta Victory Chinaza, following a climate awareness programme titled Rooted in Action: Growing Green Generation held at Iheaka Girls Secondary School in Enugu State.
According to Chinaza, the initiative was designed to introduce students to the concept of climate change, explain its causes and impacts, and equip them with practical environmental conservation skills through tree planting, recycling activities and the establishment of an Eco Club to sustain climate action within the school.
She said the experience revealed that many students already understood the realities of climate change through personal experiences, even if they lacked the scientific language to describe them.
Chinaza explained that instead of merely listening to classroom lessons, the students actively related discussions on climate change to environmental changes they had witnessed, including rising temperatures, changing weather patterns and destructive flooding in their communities.
She recalled the emotional account of one student who narrated how severe flooding destroyed homes in her neighbourhood several years ago, forcing her family to relocate after losing property.
According to her, the student’s testimony demonstrated that climate change is no longer an abstract academic concept for many Nigerian children but a lived reality that continues to shape their lives.
Beyond classroom discussions, the programme also introduced students to practical environmental solutions through a “trash-to-treasure” initiative, where they learned how waste materials could be recycled and converted into useful products with economic value.
Chinaza said one of the highlights of the project was the tree planting exercise, which gave students the opportunity to actively contribute to environmental restoration while learning about the role of trees in mitigating climate change.
She noted that by the end of the programme, the students had developed a better understanding of climate change, its causes, its local impacts and the importance of taking action to protect the environment.
However, the advocate expressed concern that climate education is still not recognised as an independent subject in many Nigerian schools.
She argued that the current approach of embedding climate-related topics within other subjects often leads to inadequate coverage and leaves significant knowledge gaps among students.
Chinaza therefore urged education authorities to integrate climate education as a distinct subject within the national curriculum while investing in teacher training, learning materials and practical environmental programmes to prepare young people for the growing challenges posed by climate change.
She maintained that empowering students with knowledge and opportunities to participate in climate action would help build a generation capable of driving sustainable development and strengthening Nigeria’s resilience against the impacts of global warming.
Reflecting on her experience at Iheaka Girls Secondary School, Chinaza said the programme demonstrated that when young people are given the right support, they are ready to become active environmental stewards rather than passive victims of climate change.
She stressed that the challenge is no longer convincing young people that climate change exists, but providing them with the education, platforms and responsibility needed to transform their lived experiences into meaningful climate action for a more sustainable future.