British Council launches commonwealth legacy project

To create an awareness about the Commonwealth, its values and the upcoming commonwealth games scheduled for 2014, the British Council is planning to distribute Commonwealth global information packs to some Nigerian teachers, to enable them teach students about various activities going on in all commonwealth countries.

 The Project Manager, Olamipo Oyetunde, who spoke during the launch of ‘Commonwealth Legacy Project’ in Lagos, explained that the packs, which had already been given to some selected teachers who were present at the launch, would later in the year be distributed to other teachers in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and the federal capital territory.

 The overall aim, she said, is to groom the students.

 She said: “|It would also facilitate dialogue between teachers and young people across the globe and as well provide deeper knowledge and understanding about commonwealth countries, cultures and features of their environment, including awareness about the 2014 Commonwealth games that will be hosted in Glasgow.

 “It was specifically designed to support young people’s education about the world around them.

 It includes an online debate, which will enable Nigerian students interact with other students around the world as students from all Commonwealth countries will be participating.

 The BBC will be hosting a series of monthly online debates from summer this year and any school in the commonwealth or the wider world can take part in it.

 The debates are topical conversations for pupils to join in and share their ideas and opinions with other pupils around the world”.

 She added: “Later on in the year, we will have the commonwealth information pack distributed to teachers in Lagos State and all the states where we are engaging teachers.

 We want teachers to rightly educate the children so that wherever they find themselves, they will be able to adapt because they already have an understanding of various culture around the world.

 And so, it is a legacy project aimed at exposing the children to happenings in other countries”.

 She also charged teachers to continually educate children on how to thrive in difficult situation rather than dwelling in negativity.