NNPC, Seplat Graduate 127 Teachers, Education Evaluators In Imo

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Seplat Energy Joint Venture have graduated 127 teachers and education evaluators in Imo State under the maiden edition of the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP).

The three-month programme, which concluded with a graduation ceremony in Owerri, equipped the beneficiaries with digital skills, modern Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM)-based teaching methods, digital learning techniques and entrepreneurial skills.

The programme was designed to strengthen the capacity of primary and secondary school teachers to integrate technology into classroom teaching, improve productivity and better prepare students for an increasingly digital world.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Seplat Energy’s Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Chioma Afe, represented by the General Manager, Corporate Social Investment, Esther Icha, said the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to investing in education and equipping educators with skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

Afe said STEP was deliberately structured to go beyond conventional teaching methods by introducing teachers to modern pedagogical approaches, particularly in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

She added that the programme also provided participants with alternative income-generating skills aimed at improving their economic resilience and reducing their dependence solely on teaching salaries.

Afe disclosed that STEP had previously been implemented in Edo and Delta states, where more than 2,000 teachers had been trained and empowered, adding that the Imo edition represented the programme’s first intervention in the state.

Addressing the graduating teachers, she urged them to see their certificates as the beginning of a greater responsibility to apply the knowledge acquired and share it with others.

“Take the digital skills you have acquired into your classrooms, share your knowledge with fellow teachers, encourage your students to learn, explore and innovate,” she said.

Afe also urged the beneficiaries to promote responsible entrepreneurship and financial empowerment in their communities, noting that the true measure of the programme would be the impact created after the graduation.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Olanrewaju Igandan, the Subsurface Operations Advisor, NUIMS, Chizoba Onyike, described the graduation as more than the completion of a teacher-training programme.

He said it represented an investment in the future of host communities, noting that teachers serve as important channels through which knowledge and opportunities are transferred to younger generations.

The Imo State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, commended NNPC and Seplat Energy for their continued support for education in the state.

Ikegwuoha said the training would have a lasting impact on the quality of education delivered in Imo schools and urged the beneficiaries to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to improve their classroom practices and inspire their students.

The graduation of the first STEP cohort in Imo State marks a significant milestone in the partnership between NNPC, Seplat Energy and the Imo State Government, with subsequent cohorts expected to further strengthen the capacity of the state’s teaching workforce.