Seplat Energy Plc, has kicked off the third edition of its Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP) by empowering a total of 300 teachers from both Edo and Delta states.
The STEP initiative launched in 2022 seeks to promote teacher’s creative thinking, allow for higher student engagement, and offer a well-rounded education for recipients of the programme.
The programme empowers teachers by providing them with resources to support their delivery of quality teaching in Seplat Energy’s host states, Edo and Delta states.
The official kick off of this year’s edition was preceded by a four-day residential workshop which provided leadership, self-improvement introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) training and its application to teaching.
This year, 905 teachers wrote the online qualifying test, and 300 teachers qualified from both states for the four day-long residential training. The training which was a huge success will continue online for a further three months.
Speaking, director, External Affairs and Sustainability, Seplat Energy, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, represented by Business Relations manager, Joseph Ofili, stated that, Seplat Energy in conjunction with its JV partners, ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology, decided to embark on this initiative to empower teachers towards providing a better education platform for students who are the future leaders.
“The initiative is designed to foster creative thinking; problem solving abilities; teacher – student engagement and produce well rounded educated students,” she said.
She said, this year’s edition features the empowerment of 300 teachers from 90 qualifying schools across Edo and Delta States as well as Chief Inspectors of Education in the states and key personnel of the ministry of education to ensure an impactful delivery of the programme.
She further stated that the participant were split 75 per cent public sector, 25 per cent private sector, explaining that! all participants had been issued electronic devices and internet data to continue the online training for the next three months.
Nwachuku noted that the success of the programme was largely attributed to the support received from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology as well as Seplat Energy’s JV partner- Nigerian Exploration and Production Ltd (NEPL) formally Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Ltd.
The Edo state commissioner for Education, Mrs. Joan Oviawe, commended Seplat Energy for STEP Initiative which she branded as a transformative training programme.
She also commended the quality and robustness of courses being offered, urging the teachers to share the learnings from the programme with their colleagues who were unable to be part of it.
She equally encouraged the teachers to ensure their schools and students benefit from the additional knowledge received from the STEP initiative.
Over the last two editions, Seplat Energy has empowered 363 persons (inclusive of 49 Chief Inspectors of Education).