A non-profit organisation, Ocean Ambassador Foundation, has urged educators to align learning with 21st-century career opportunities and encourage curriculum changes to include maritime and blue economy.
The group also aims to increase awareness of these opportunities in schools by encouraging students to become more familiar with the maritime sector.
Speaking at a conference themed: ‘Unpacking the opportunities in marine and blue economy for educators,’ in Lagos, the Founder, Ocean Ambassador Foundation, Mrs Olaitan Williams, said the programme was to examine how educators can shape careers of the upcoming generation, particularly in exploring opportunities in marine and blue economy.
Williams said it is essential to establish modalities for students to navigate the maritime industry, adding that knowledge of the blue economy will soon be incorporated into the curriculum.
Associate Professor, School of Transport and Logistics, Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Ogochukwu Ugbonna, said beyond oil, there are other non-oil commodities that can be developed and serve as a source of development for the Nigerian economy.
Ugbonna stated that marine education should be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, so that the involvement of more young Nigerians in the marine sector would boost global trade, fisheries, and aquaculture, while providing food security and employment for millions.
By embedding marine and blue economy concepts in lessons, Ugbonna noted that teachers can begin to spark curiosity in these students, thereby creating a ripple effect.
Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Temisan Omatseye, said it is critical to sensitise young people not only to the importance but also to the opportunities available in the maritime sector.
According to him, recent developments in the international arena, particularly the trade embargo America placed on certain countries, have shown that Nigeria must step up and change its maritime trajectory by increasing manpower in the blue economy and leveraging its youth population to boost the economy.
Omatseye said that if students start showing interest at a young age, they will be more likely to conduct research and engage in activities that allow them to build on the sector.
“And as they get older, they can be setting up policy positions, unlike what is happening right now, where we are having square pegs and round holes. But once they begin to understand the importance of the sector, that will change.
“So, it is very important that we begin to teach them young, and begin to develop them in that direction,” he said.
Noting that teachers are key to this transformation, Omatseye called for the government to establish a train-the-trainer programme and develop a curriculum that will incorporate knowledge to promote the blue economy.
Permanent Secretary of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Lagos State, Mrs Adebopo Oyekan-Ismaila, lauded the organisers for the initiative, saying the programme aimed to showcase opportunities in the maritime sector in schools.
