By Magnus Emuji
Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu, has stated that the inclusion of insurance as a standalone subject in the school curriculum will help build a generation of students who understand risk management, savings culture, and financial planning.
Ezewu stated this in Asaba while declaring open a day workshop for commercial subject teachers on Insurance as a standalone subject organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).
Represented by the Director of Schools in the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Lady Winifred Ighavbota, the Commissioner described the initiative as not only timely but also strategic, adding that it aligns with the state government’s vision to equip students in the state with relevant, practical and globally competitive knowledge.
She commended the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria for partnering with her Ministry to carry out the exercise, stressing that Delta State was committed to continuous capacity building and curriculum development that would prepare students not only to be successful in examinations but also to be responsible and financially literate citizens.
Ezewu stated that the training would empower teachers in Economics, Commerce, Financial Accounting and other commercial subjects with the requisite knowledge, tools and methodologies to effectively deliver the new Insurance subject in school.
Earlier in her welcome address, the President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Mrs Yetunde Illori, underscored the financial benefits of insurance, noting that there is an aspect of insurance responsible for the education of manpower.
Illori said that in an insurance organisation, some brokers and agents move around to solicit patronage for the insurance company.
While saying that many people have been thriving in the insurance business in foreign countries, Illori implored the teachers to guide children well in their selection of subjects to offer.
For his part, the past president of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Mr Sunny Adeda, explained that the essence of the workshop was to enlighten the people of Delta State about insurance and the benefits of offering insurance as a subject.
In her closing remarks, the Chief Organiser and the Rector of the College of Insurance and Financial Management, Dr Chizoba P. Ehiogu, charged the teachers to expose the students to the viable opportunities in the insurance profession.
She thanked the commissioner for partnering with the Institute in the drive and pushing Insurance education to the grassroots.
Resource persons, including Dr Henry Dim, Dr Mrs. Regina Akubue, Prof. Sunday Adekunle Aduloju and Dr Chizoba P. Ehiogu, made presentations on introduction to risk and principles of insurance; techniques for teaching insurance in Nigeria; structure of insurance market and regulation; and insurance documentation and law of contract, respectively.
The high point of the workshop was the presentation of an insurance textbook to the Commissioner during a courtesy visit to her in Asaba by the President of the Institute, who also made similar presentations to some teachers in Asaba and Ughelli.
