Date: 10th June, 2025
Venue: Old Government Lodge, Enugu
The interactive meeting was organized by the Founding Director of CIDJAP Vocational Technical Training Center, Very Rev. Msgr. Obiora Ike, the Commissioner for Education, Enugu State, Prof Ndubueze L. Mbah, and the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Experiential Learning, Dr. Mara Huber.
The team has been awarded a Spencer Foundation Vision Grant for a research project titled, “Oru Aka Di Mma: cultivating a dynamic and equitable experiential learning ecosystem in Africa through collective storytelling”. There were projections to build 260 smart schools in each local government in Enugu State by September 2025
The participants in the interactive session were able to enumerate the enablers and the barriers to the expansion of experiential learning across different schools, departments, and contexts. The following were articulated as Enablers for the Experiential Learning in Enugu:
Enablers: Clear recruitment process, continuous training of teachers, clarity of purpose, updated curriculum, recruitment based on merit, sensitization of parents, motivation of staff, replication of the school in all the communities, and a safe environment.
Barriers: Poor maintenance culture, continuity, poor management, uniformity, insecurity, instability, and lack of continuity.
Solution: Creation of a legal framework for continuity, budget consistency, proper maintenance, proper resource distribution, regular audit, collaboration/partnership across the board, functional phone lines for emergencies, and having a reliable security outfit.
Role of CIDJAP in the system: CIDJAP is open to collaborating with the Government in providing instructors and a place for skill acquisition, as we have a Technical and a Catering School already at Coal Camp Enugu. The institute needed only a boost to increase the number of instructors and a binding MOU to know the limit of our engagement in the scaling and sustainability of the experiential learning.
Closing: The participants were appreciated for their time and were informed that they will be engaged further for the success of the Smart School.
CIDJAP was ably represented by Prof. Msgr. Ike, Rev. Fr. Victor Edeh, and Dr. Ebele Odinachi.
