Programme equips Imo educators with modern teaching techniques and alternative income-generation skills.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Seplat Energy Joint Venture have trained and empowered 127 teachers and education evaluators in Imo State with digital skills as part of efforts to improve teaching quality and strengthen educators’ professional capacity.
The beneficiaries formed the first cohort of the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP), which focuses on STEAM-based teaching techniques, modern pedagogical approaches and alternative income-generating skills.
The programme was designed to help teachers adapt to changing educational demands while also providing them with practical skills that can improve their economic resilience.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Owerri on Monday, the Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Seplat Energy Plc, Chioma Afe, who was represented by the General Manager, Corporate Social Investment, Esther Icha, said the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to sustained investment in education.
She said equipping teachers with relevant skills was critical to improving learning outcomes and preparing Nigerian children for a rapidly changing world.
“Empowering teachers is central to improving learning outcomes and building a sustainable future for Nigerian children,” Afe said.
The STEP initiative targets teachers in primary and secondary schools, exposing them to contemporary teaching methods with particular emphasis on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Beyond classroom instruction, participants were also introduced to alternative income-generating opportunities. According to the organisers, the additional skills are intended to help teachers become more economically resourceful and reduce their dependence solely on teaching salaries.
The initiative therefore combines professional development with economic empowerment, giving educators tools they can apply both within and outside the classroom.
At the graduation ceremony, the Imo State Commissioner for Education (Primary and Secondary), Prof. Benard Ikegwuoha, commended the NNPC-Seplat Energy Joint Venture for its continued contribution to the development of education in the state.
Ikegwuoha said the training could have a lasting impact on the standard of education in Imo schools, urging the beneficiaries to translate the knowledge gained into improved classroom practices.
He also encouraged the teachers to use their new skills to inspire students and contribute to a stronger learning environment across the state.
The joint best-graduating teachers, Samuel Chijoke and Onuoha Success, thanked the organisers for giving them the opportunity to participate in the programme.
They described the training as “transformative” and pledged to pass the knowledge and skills acquired on to their colleagues and students, potentially extending the programme’s impact beyond the initial beneficiaries.
The event also attracted other stakeholders in the state’s education sector, including the Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs and Intelligence, Dr Henry Okafor.
 |
| L-R Chizoba Onyike, Subsurface Operations Advisor, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS); Prof. Benard Ikegwuoha, Hon. Commissioner for Education (Primary & Secondary), Imo State; Samuel Chijoke, Joint Best-Graduating Teacher; Mrs. Esther Icha, General Manager, Corporate Social Investment & Social Performance, Seplat Energy Plc; Onuoha Success, Joint Best-Graduating Teacher and Dr Henry Okafor, Hon. Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs and Intelligence, Imo State at the graduation of the first set of teachers under the Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP) in Owerri, Imo State |
The Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme forms part of Seplat Energy’s wider corporate social investment strategy, which focuses on key areas including education, healthcare and community development in its areas of operation.
The company has also implemented teacher development initiatives in other states, reflecting its broader effort to improve educational standards and promote continuous professional development among teachers.
The graduation of the first STEP cohort in Imo State marks another phase in the partnership between the NNPC-Seplat Energy Joint Venture and the state government. With additional cohorts expected, the programme could further expand the number of educators equipped with modern teaching and economic empowerment skills across the state.