The Ocean Ambassadors Foundation (OAF) has urged the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) to educate primary school pupils on issues relating to the maritime industry.
Mrs Violet Williams, Convener OAF, made the call at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) lecture for primary school pupils in year five and six on Friday in Lagos.
The lecture witnessed schools from 18 local government areas in Lagos State.
According to Williams, Lagos is a littoral state and children being dream actualisers need to be exposed to issues relating to maritime industry to guide their career choice in future.
“This is a milestone achievement for Lagos State Government to bring maritime education to public schools,” she said.
She stressed the need for maritime tourism for public schools in Lagos State for them to be at par with their contemporaries in private schools.
Responding, Mr Wahab Alawiye-King, the Executive Chairman LASUBEB, said that maritime tourism is something the state government is looking forward to.
Alawiye-King represented by Mrs Sherifat Adedoyin, Permanent Board member in Charge of School Curricular Activities, said that it was important to catch pupils young to achieve the desired growth and development of the sector.
Alawiye-King said that it was not the first time they were engaging pupils on maritime issues, noting that they were already in partnership with the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
“The issue is that we have not gone deeper to what we really wanted to do. We want a situation where we will be taking our children for excursion so that apart from theory, they will receive the practical aspect.
“This will help them to understand what we are talking about. Children like practical, whatever you engage them with will stay with them for a very long time unlike just writing in the classroom,” he said.
He noted that this would not end here as they are going to continue with as many non-governmental organisation as they come onboard to educate the children more.
“We are going to engage all the government agencies that have something similar in nature to develop our children so that from it they can get life professions from there.
“This is really good and personally I believe in catching them young whatever you want to do start with the children, you will be surprised that they be will be the ones correcting their parents at home.
“So, this is a good investment in the side of our governor, on the side of LASUBEB and the NGO that is putting this together and we look forward for more,” he said.
Read Also: Philippines’ Seafarers To Go Paperless With Blockchain
He noted that they had started teaching pupils about climate change for them to develop interest and follow the trend.
“Climate change is a global issue, Nigeria is not lacking behind on it, likewise Lagos State,” he said.
Also, Dr Toyin Sam-Emehelu, the Chief Executive Officer, Coreskills Transformation Academy, described the event as a welcome development aimed at positioning the children to develop interest in maritime sector.
Sam-Emehelu said that education helps in transformation of lives, helping children to get exposed not just the mainstream of teaching and learning on normal subject.
“This is what we have come to do here today and I congratulate all involved in this lecture for pupils in year five and six to learn about what maritime is all about .
“Today is a landmark event in the history of education especially in Lagos State because they begin to learn about the aquatic world so that they can channel their career and pathway to develop our sea space in Lagos,” she said.
shippingposition
Kindly like us on Facebook/twitter
