By Amaechi Agbo

As part of preparations for the 2025 National Youth Games (NYG) scheduled to commence later this month athletes in Enugu are in the groove mood as the finals of the Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Secondary Schools Games starts today across two centres.

The finals will hold at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Ogui Road, and the Sports Council premises, at Nkpokiti Road, Independence Layout, Enugu

In a Statement by the Director of Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Dan Onwuegbuna on Thursday, it noted that the competition is designed to help the state discover budding talents who, will blossom to represent the state in national and international championships as well as select athletes to represent the state at the 2025 National Youth Games in Asaba next month.

The finals which will feature secondary schools from across the six educational zones in the state, namely, Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu, will commence today and end on Sunday, August 10^th. 2025.

The Games which is held in collaboration between the Youth and Sports Ministry and the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB), will feature nine sports events including athletics, boxing, Chess, basketball, volleyball, football, Table tennis, tennis and scrabble.

The Commissioner Hon Lloyd Ekweremadu, appreciated the Governor Dr Peter Mbah   for approving the games, adding that his unwavering commitment towards sports development gives the state future prospects.

The 9th National Youth Games (NYG) is scheduled to take place from August 26th to September 6th, 2025, in Asaba, Delta State. It will feature athletes under 15 years of age competing in various sports.

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By Chiekezie Emmanuel

The Head of Mass Communication Department, ESUT, Barr. Dr. Chidiebere Ezinwa, has pledged to incorporate experiential learning into the department’s curricula which uphold Governor Peter Mbah’s new policy with emphasize in experiential learning in the state.

Dr. Ezinwa revealed this during the Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (ENIFF) three-day Film Production training for the students of the department in Enugu

During an interview with the ESUT Monitor, the HOD noted that, “This event is an eye-opener, which incites what happens in the film industries. I am sure that those students who paid proper attention to the Programme will benefit greatly.”

He stated that what they film training is in line with what the Governor of Enugu State, Barr Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has instructed – “experiential learning, people learning things practically, not just reciting theories and concepts, but actually doing things with practical knowledge,” he emphasized.

The programme organizers are using films to bring about social change in different sectors. For example, the issue of gender-based violence has become rampant in society. However, the film training aims to enlighten students on how to use documentaries and films to change some situations in society.

“I am really happy we are doing something that aligns with the dream of His Excellency, which our VC, Prof Aloysius-Michaels Okolie has also inculcated in the staff.

“I have succeeded in using one stone to kill two birds; we are talking about unbundling the department. We have an interest in including Film and Multi-Media Studies as one of the departments. With this contact, we have gained now; we will try to see how we can collaborate with people already in the film industries.

The organizers promised to support the department in training the students who have interest in film-making.

One of the students, Edennaji Ezinne, from the Mass Communication Department, 200 level, expressed gratitude and happiness to the HOD for giving them the privilege to be in the programme.

She stated that the event is a “mind-blowing and impactful one because it is here to teach people who do not have the knowledge or who want to know more about storytelling and film production. I am happy and honored to be here,” she said.

While the ENIFF Film Production training ends today in Enugu with many students from the department attending from Thursday, it is important to emphasize that Dr Chidiebere Ezinwa ‘s leadership of the department has reinvigorated and repositioned it to be the pacesetter among others.

Dr Ezinwa has consistently exposed the students to practical aspects of journalism including visiting AfiaTV where a collaboration between the department and the company was reached; ensuring their participation in the second edition of the ENIFF training where the students are tutored on how to use their smartphones to creat and make movies and tell stories; reviving the ESUT Monitor Newspaper and also playing integral role in the restoration of ESUT Radio, 106.5FM, among others.

It could be recalled, that His Excellency, Barr Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah while delivering the first ESUT’s Distinguished Personality Lecture on Tuesday, 19th November, charged tertiary institutions in Enugu State to Implement Experiential Learning in their academic curricula as the bedrock for equipping the students with requisite knowledge to become productive before and after their gratulation.

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The lecture provided an opportunity to address our educational model which is a critical issue at the heart of our nation’s development. I emphasised that Nigeria’s current education system, focused on rote memorisation, has hindered our progress, failing to equip students with the skills and competencies required for industrialisation and economic transformation. I called for a paradigm shift towards experiential learning, education that connects directly to real-world challenges and opportunities.

Nigerian universities seldom feature among the ranking of the world’s best universities and are yet to produce inventive graduates who can drive national development. This shortfall stems from an outdated system that does not prioritise productive skills or innovation. Experiential learning fosters critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, empowering students to see themselves as problem-solvers and innovators.

As part of our commitment in Enugu State, we are leading this transition by allocating 33% of our annual budget to education, twice UNESCO’s recommended benchmark. This investment has facilitated the creation of 260 Smart Green Schools across our wards.

Through our Smart Green Schools, we have introduced the ‘cut-off point’, whereby we target children from age three, and begin to inculcate in them social habits, health habits, fine motor skills, and problem-solving competencies, introducing them to an experiential education system that helps them to navigate our rapidly evolving technological knowledge-driven world.

After three years of Early Childhood Education, having completed Nursery 1-3, our children complete Basic 1-9. During their twelve-year academic study in the Enugu Smart Green Schools, our children learn with interactive digital whiteboards, tablets, and computers; they are immersed in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual/Augmented Reality, and Internet of Things, among others.

Upon graduating from the Smart Green Schools, about one-quarter of our children will proceed to the eight Science, Technical, and Vocational (STV) schools already under construction, which will focus on key competencies like Industrial and Information Technology, Building and Fabrication Engineering, as well as Industrial Agriculture, with the objective to become respected and skilled professionals, highly valued for their expertise.

I also announced a new policy directing all state-owned tertiary institutions to adopt experiential learning models in their planning, curriculum, and research efforts. Education, after all, is not just about passing exams, it’s about preparing our youth for a rapidly evolving, technology-driven world.

The transformation of our education system is not just a necessity; it is the foundation upon which we will build a prosperous and self-reliant nation. By prioritising experiential learning and investing in modern, skill-oriented education, we are equipping our youths to lead the charge towards a future defined by innovation, industrialisation, and sustainable development.

Tomorrow is here!

Barr Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah

Governor Enugu State

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