Lagos State has inaugurated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Clubs across its public primary schools, in a bid to foster responsible citizenship and embed sustainability values from an early age.
The launch, held at the SUBEB Hall in Maryland, Ikeja, was described by the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, as a strategic step towards a just, inclusive, and sustainable future for the state.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary, Office of SDGs, Mrs. Kaphayah Olayemi Sarumi, Dr. Finnih said the initiative goes beyond forming school clubs. “It represents a deliberate effort to plant transformative ideas, instil enduring values, and empower young learners to recognise their role in societal progress,” she said.
She added that the SDGs Clubs aim to move the Goals from policy documents into daily habits and experiences. “Institutionalising the Goals within primary education signals Lagos State’s resolve to begin sustainable development early, intentionally, and inclusively,” Dr. Finnih said.
The Special Adviser noted that SDGs Clubs have already been successfully integrated into tertiary institutions, including Lagos State University (LASU), and public secondary schools, where students are championing climate awareness, promoting social inclusion, and executing community projects.
Dr. Finnih attributed the progress to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, which has aligned educational reforms with SDG 4 – Quality Education – to enhance both access and relevance in learning. She said extending the initiative to primary schools strengthens the educational pipeline by nurturing sustainability consciousness from childhood.
“Education is not merely about literacy and numeracy; it is about shaping character, sharpening curiosity, and cultivating responsibility. It remains the most powerful tool for achieving all the SDGs,” she stated.
Dr. Finnih urged educators to guide the state’s estimated 3.3 million pupils beyond awareness, inspiring creativity, solution-driven thinking, and equipping them to tackle global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and social justice.
In his address, the Chairman of LASUBEB, Dr. Hakkem Babatunde Shittu, said the SDGs Clubs would serve as centres for value-based learning, grooming young change makers who understand that development begins with individual responsibility and collective action.
He explained that the clubs would complement existing school societies, such as JESTS and Young Farmers, by exposing pupils to sustainable development in practical and age-appropriate ways.
“The introduction of SDGs into our public primary schools is a strategic intervention designed to implant sustainability, civic responsibility, and global awareness into the foundational years of learning,” Dr. Shittu said.
Dr. Finnih concluded by encouraging pupils to exemplify good character, respect teachers and parents, stay committed to their studies, and care for the environment. “The future belongs to you, and it starts now,” she said.
