Living Values Education was born when twenty educators from around the world gathered at UNICEF Headquarters in New York City in August 1996 to discuss the needs of children, their experiences of working with values and how educators can integrate values to better prepare students for lifelong learning. The LVE Team in Nigeria has played a role in providing training for educators in many Nigerian communities since 2001 and generating materials young adults and children.

As we move into the 21st century, the search for ways to improve the quality of education is global. One area of focus has been that of values, attitudes, and behavior and how to develop these aspects of character in a positive and productive way. How do we empower individuals to choose their own set of values? What kind of specialized training is necessary for educators to integrate values into existing programs? How can values-based education prepare students for lifelong learning in their communities?

Purpose and Aims of the Living Values Educational Program

The purpose of the Living Values Educational Program is to provide guiding principles and tools for the development of the whole person, recognizing that the individual is comprised of physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.

Our Aims Are:

• To help individuals think about and reflect on different values and the practical implications of expressing them in relation to themselves, others, the community, and the world at large.

• To deepen understanding, motivation, and responsibility with regard to making personal and social choices.

• To inspire individuals to choose their own personal, social, moral, and spiritual values and be aware of practical methods for developing and deepening them.

• To encourage educators and caregivers to look at education as providing students with a philosophy of living, thereby facilitating their overall growth, development, and choices so that they may integrate themselves into the community with respect, confidence, and purpose.

In 2001, Living Values Education was introduced in Nigeria through the Permission / Approval of the Lagos State Ministry of Education. In July 2001, the first official training of educators was held in Lagos, Nigeria, organized by the Nigeria National Commission for UNESCO for 32 educators including school principals, guidance counsellors, Senior Lecturers, Psychologists, representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), the Institute of Certified Teachers of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Counselling Association of Nigeria[CASSON]. Ten of these were further trained to become LVE trainers. Further Living Values Education training took place in November 2001 for The Lagos State Professional Guidance Counsellors in collaboration with The Counselling Association of Nigeria [CASSON], Lagos State Chapter, at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. This prompted further Living Values Education (LVE) Educator workshops which were held in locations in Nigeria.

These workshops provide teachers, teacher-trainers, educational psychologists and other educators and individuals concerned with values and education a new understanding of their role as motivators and exemplars, and how their mindset, attitudes and vision are critical to the education process. It is our conviction that when teachers become exemplars and believe in spiritual goals wholeheartedly, change will be real and permanent and children will excel in their studies by making excellence a value as well. They will be able to emphasize competition within oneself, not competition with others.

The Living Values Education endeavor in Nigeria is currently co-ordinated by Nsikak Obot Ekanem, the Focal Point for LVE in Nigeria. However, with the help of Mr. Ekanem, Envoy Consulting – Nigeria, a consulting firm working on educational consulting and public policy serving as a training and educational corporation applied to become an ALIVE Associate in April 2011. Their membership application will be reviewed at the next General Assembly of the Association for Living Values Education International (ALIVE). The board of directors of Envoy Consulting-Nigeria is a nonsectarian group of educators and other professionals who envision the future success and happiness of children. Being inspired by the increasing impacts, this Living Values Educational Group feels empowered to act as the National Living Values Education Body in Nigeria.

The Living Values Education global decision-making body, the Association for Living Values Education International is a worldwide community of values educators.  As a non-governmental organisation, it takes the form of an international association of independent, locally-run, non-profit organisations committed to promoting values in education.  ALIVE aims to further the objectives of its member organisations and facilitate their activities in the field of values education while enhancing and maintaining the integrity, identity and standing of the educational approach, philosophy and practice known as Living Values Education. 

The Association for Living Values Education International is an association formed under the Civil Code of Switzerland, registered in Geneva and exempt from Swiss tax.  Its tax-exempt status enables it to receive contributions and other funds to carry out its activities without being subject to Swiss tax on its receipts; this status also requires it to carry out its activities in a publicly accountable fashion under Swiss law.  It is an independent organisation that is required by its Articles of Association not to have any particular or exclusive religious, political or national affiliation or interest.  ALIVE is registered at the Registre du Commerce, Geneva and its registered office is in Geneva, Switzerland.

Created in 2004, ALIVE provides a formal home for the international community of educators who have been working with LVE since it was developed in 1997.  ALIVE is the legal and administrative body that groups together locally accountable national LVE associations, and other bodies promoting LVE, and which seeks to promote and support their LVE work and serve as a resource and information centre for them.  It owns the rights to the Living Values Education name, logo and trademark, which it licenses to Associates, and has other intellectual property rights such as with regard to its teacher resource books and other publications and the international LVE website, which it maintains.  Drawing on a strong volunteer base, the advancement and implementation of LVE is supported by UNESCO and a host of other organisations, agencies, governmental bodies, foundations, community groups and individuals.  It was part of the global movement for a culture of peace in the framework of the United Nations Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World.

While trainings are available throughout our country during the year, annual LVEP Educator policy forums are held focused on new innovations, renewal, and re-energizing. Educators were asked to reconnect with the pure intention that initially brought them into this filed and explore what allows them to stay connected to their positive core. Additionally, our outreach processes have led to the establishment of the under mentioned programmes:

1. The National schools of character programme (NASOCAP): This is an annual awards programme recognizing (Nursery, Primary & Secondary) schools in all the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, that demonstrates outstanding character education initiatives which yield positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance. Although winners may differ in method, content and scope, all emphasize core ethical values such as, respect, love, caring, honesty, co-operation, and responsibility.

2. Values in Leadership and in the work place: This is an educative tool developed for success in business, in government, in organizations and in personal satisfaction believing that with the growing challenges and sharper competition, business tactics moved on as successful leaders began to see a need to address, not just the hands and the head, but also the heart. “A happy worker is an efficient worker”.

Today values are at the heart of every change process and goal seeking endeavor calling out to potential market leaders to “come with our hand, head, heart and soul”. This Quadra-faceted approach – a holistic approach to the working environment – tomorrow’s management paradigm available today and its focuses on eight key selected values; trusting, respecting, being ethnical, co-operating, dealing with change, communicating, motivating, and being responsible.

3. Values for positive citizenship: Initiated by Development Impact for Nigeria (DIFN): DIFN has used LVEP as part of their programme for young Nigerian professionals. Their programme focuses on inculcating a new leadership that will embrace a wider human constituency with a sense of caring for others and a sense of responsibility to the global neighborhood. Values for positive citizenship also equipped Nigerian Youths with core values promoting responsibility and ethnical citizenship.

4. Voice Out Initiative (VOI]) which was developed by Living Values Education – Nigeria: Our aim was to facilitate women's leadership for women's human rights and social justice in Nigeria. VOI fosters women's leadership in the area of human rights through women's policy forums and roundtables, strategic planning activities and mobilization campaigns. VOI works from a human rights perspective with an emphasis on women education, violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and socio-economic well-being. VOI's programs are in two broad areas of policy and advocacy, leadership development and women’s human rights education.

5. Living Values EducationYoung Scholars Roundtable (LVEYSR): This was initiated by Living Values Education – Nigeria as a think-tank Living Values Education Youth Group committed to the promotion of a socially-edifying interaction between policy and scholarship, aimed at promoting young people full participation at all levels in the conceptualisation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation of development policies and programmes.

6. Living Values Education Children’s Club: Today the Living Values Education Team in Nigeria recognises that children are more apprehensive, insecure and fearful. Compounding factors that are more difficult to counter are the escalating volume of international terrorism around the world, deteriorating global environment, and growing levels of abuse and violence in communities. Many problems are global in nature and they relate to lack of a proper education in the three schools of humanity: the home, the school and society. If future lies in part within the four walls of a school, can conflict and its elimination be possible in part through education? Can hearts be changed by proactively sowing the seeds of love from the youngest ages so that when children grow up, they cannot think of violence, conflict and war? Can the diverse views and people unite to work together for the common cause — the welfare of the children?

This initiative strives to inculcate values of tolerance and co-existence in children and building the defenses of peace in their minds and hearts.

For more information, please contact:

Hon Nsikak Obot Ekanem
Educator
nigeria@livingvalues.net
Tel: 234-80-83655890; 234-80-68577870

Dr Ekerete Umana Living Values Education Advisor for Nigeria
And Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Envoy Consulting-Nigeria
234-80-28510661
envoyconsultingltd@yahoo.com

Nsikak Ekanem, the Focal Point for LVE in Nigeria and the President of the Values Educational Group, shared that in early November they hosted a seminar for parents and children titled “Rediscovering our Values”. The two-day seminar explored how values build self-esteem and empower children to develop positive relationships. Everyone in attendance found it very interesting and valuable. 

They focused on the following components in the LVE Workshop:

1. Rekindle the dream
2. Create shared values
3. Listen to our children
4. Build self esteem

At the end of the Seminar, a Living Values Education Children's Club - Nigeria was formed.

Living Values Education Programme (LVEP) was introduced in Nigeria in 2001 through the Permission / Approval of the Lagos State Ministry of Education. In July 2001, the first official training of educators was held in Lagos, Nigeria, organized by the National Commission for UNESCO for Nigeria for 32 educators including school principals, guidance counselors, Senior Lecturers, Psychologists and representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT). Ten of these were further trained to become LVE trainers. This prompted further Living Values Education (LVE) Educator workshops which were held in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Over 1,700 educators have been trained from 2001 to March 2007.

As of March 2007, LVEP in Nigeria is supported by a wide variety of organizations: the Brahma Kumaris Center in Lagos, the Nigeria Department of Youth Policy & International Co-operation, The Apostolic Powerline Bible Church in Lagos, the Ipaja Community Link in Ipaja-Lagos, and the Development Impact for Nigeria (DIFN). The LVEP Educator workshops provide teachers, teacher-trainers, educational psychologists and other educators and individuals concerned with values and education a new understanding of their role as motivators and exemplars, and how their mindset, attitudes and vision are critical to the education process. It is our conviction that when teachers become exemplars and believe in spiritual goals wholeheartedly, change will be real and permanent and children will excel in their studies by making excellence a value as well. They will be able to emphasize competition within oneself, not competition with others.

After being inspired by the Living Values Education (LVE) Approach, the Nigeria Association for Living Values Education (NAFOLIVE) Adhoc Committee was constituted in August 2005. Today NAFOLIVE Adhoc Committee efforts have extended Living Values Education Programme (LVEP) from the child and the school to the entire society by a conscious act of will believing that both family and society must be transformed in the process of educating the child.

As a result, NAFOLIVE outreach processes have led to the establishment of the under mentioned programmes:

1. The National schools of character programme (NASOCAP). This is an annual awards programme recognizing (Nursery, Primary & Secondary) schools in all the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, that demonstrates outstanding character education initiatives which yield positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance. Although winners may differ in method, content and scope, all emphasize core ethical values such as, respect, love, caring, honesty, co-operation, and responsibility.

2. Values in Leadership and in the work place: This is an educative tool developed for success in business, in government, in organizations and in personal satisfaction believing that with the growing challenges and sharper competition, business tactics moved on as successful leaders began to see a need to address, not just the hands and the head, but also the heart: " A happy worker is an efficient worker".

Today Values are at the heart of every change process and goal seeking endeavor calling out to potential market leaders to "come with our hand, head, heart and soul". This Quadra-faceted approach – a holistic approach to the working environment – tomorrow's management paradigm available today and its focuses on eight key selected values; trusting, respecting, being ethnical, co-operating, dealing with change, communicating, motivating, and being responsible.

3. Values for positive citizenship: Initiated by development impact for Nigeria (DIFN) as apart of living values education programme for young Nigerian professionals which focuses on inculcating a new leadership that will embrace a wider human constituency with a sense of caring for other and a sense of responsibility to the global neighborhood. Values for positive citizenship also equipped Nigerian Youths with core values promoting responsibility and ethnical citizenship.

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In-depth report on the Workshop on Values-Based Education for Educators, Ipaja, Lagos, Nigeria, March 13-15, 2007

Please open this pdf file for an outstanding report on this workshop. It includes many pictures as well as the contributions of participants.

Complete report in PDF format

On 15 February 2007, the second module of the living values for positive citizenship training programme began. The training programme was spread over three days with various sessions and group activities facilitated by Mr Yomi Oloko of Development Impact for Nigeria (UK).

DAY ONE

The workshop started at 9.30 am with introduction from each of the participants and making of the ground rules for the workshop. This was swiftly followed by writing of participant's expectation on the flip chart. Each participant was also asked to choose various animals they like and their matching qualities and attributes. The main session then commenced, with a reflection on our values, how reflection determines our values and if values does change at any point in time. The twelve values under the Living Values Education Programme were listed and extensively discussed on by participants. A minute silence was held in respect of Mr. Bode Omokaro (DIFN), facilitator for the Module I training workshop. It was followed by a game on sharks, swimming and islands.

The second session for the day was on effective listening and participants also discussed 'Blocks to Effective listening'. This includes; Giving solutions, admonishing, judging, blaming, moralizing, diminishing, sympathizing, distracting and accusations. Mr Wale then handled the third session on Citizenship. The discussion was centered on who a Nigerian is, Rights of a Nigerian Citizen and a reflection on the words of the National anthemn.

The day's session ended with take-home questions for participants:

1. What do I do that may deprive other Nigerians of their rights?

2. What do you think are the responsibilities of being a Nigerian?

DAY TWO

The day's session started with responses from participants about the other day's activities and their overall feelings. Participants were asked to reflect on an illustration of a glass cup as half-filled or empty. Many participants saw it as half–filled while others saw it the other way round. It was finally agreed that our answers could only be premised on the way we see it. The main session, commenced with a group activity on Honesty. The following questions were considered.

1. Think of a time you appreciated someone else honesty.

2. Think of a time you were appreciated for your act of honesty.

Participants broke into groups to discuss; responses were presented by their rappoteurs to the whole house. The house then considered various reflection points on honesty.

The second session looked at the values of Love, Peace and Unity. Participants were divided into three groups with each group first exploring the reflection points of their value. Teams then had to create a poster on that value using crayons to come up with a team effort design. The third session for the day was on Tolerance and participants viewed a 24 minute documentary titled 'The Imam and Pastor', which focuses on addressing religious intolerance among people of different faiths in Nigeria. Participants discussed ideas they gained from the documentary vis-à-vis tolerance in our daily living.

DAY THREE

The day's session started with a reflection and discussion on Cooperation. A group activity on the Tower game was carried out by participants to test their knowledge on working together for a common good. Each group then proceeded to build a tower with a firm base. In the end, the tallest structure with the strongest base was identified.

The second session of the day was on Simplicity, Respect and Humility. Participants were divided into groups to discuss each value and then produced a short drama sketch on the selected value. Each group presented their drama sketch to the whole audience and participants were asked to make comments and inputs.

The final session of the workshop was on 'Moving Forward'. The workshop facilitator Mr. Yemi Oloko examined key components of the three day training, workshop organiser's expectations from participants and dates for subsequent trainings which will also include a Training of Trainers workshop. Participants were then provided with an evaluation form to make comments on the three day workshop. The training workshop ended with presentation of certificates to successful participants, and presentation of trophies to three best participants and group photographs. In all, from almost everyone's opinion the workshop was fantastic, challenging, interesting and an rewarding experience.

For more information of The Values for Positive Citizenship programme visit the following links: -

http://www.unesco.8m.com/franca/NigeriaPC/home.htm

http://www.unesco.8m.com/myweb4/positive_citizenship_June%202007.htm

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