26/09/2022
*Breaking* :
- *Seascout Branch begins comparative studies of best practices from European Region*
- *NSO to host virtual orientation workshop for Seascout Leaders as NHQ Seascouts returns from Eurosea Conference.*
- *National Headquarters bans the use of Seascout Promise , asks Seascouts to recite the Scout Promise.*
Walter carrington,
Lagos
26th September, 2022
The Seascout Section of the Scout Association of Nigeria will begin a comparative assessment of best practices from the Scout Associations of Greece , Netherlands , Finland and Belgium to develop a practice direction and improve the National Seascouts Curriculum of the Scout Association of Nigeria, a document which contains the total experience provided to young people involved in Seascouting.
The Headquarters announced these new measures following the participation of Nigeria at the Eurosea Program that was held in Athens, Greece where safety policy issues and seascouting program improvement dominated major discussions at the Conference workshops .
A team of five Seascouts will be working with the National Headquarters to review the working documents from the partnering Countries after which a larger group consisting of selected European Seascout leaders will be hosted to peer support the work of the team.
Speaking during the presentation of the curriculum review objectives , the National Headquarters Commissioner for Seascouts Raji Bomodeoku who spoke in Lagos on Sunday while addressing a section of Leaders stated that the reviews were the first steps towards putting our seascouting into perspective . It will address the questions of what educational objectives should the Seascout section seek to achieve? what educational experiences can be provided to achieve these objectives? how can we also effectively organize these experiences to ensure effective utilization of the Seascouting program in Nigeria .
The Seascouts Branch will be organizing a virtual orientation for Seascouts Leaders across Nigeria in mid November to provide update on the curriculum framework and Seascouting practice improvements.
Meanwhile, the National Headquarters has directed Seascouts in Nigeria to stop reciting the Boy Scouts of America's Seascouts Promise which has become rampant among seascouts during ship meetings in Nigeria. Speaking earlier at the National Seascouts Training in Lagos in May, the NHQ Seascouts, Raji Bomodeoku clarified that the use of the promise was an infringement on the intellectual asset of the Boy Scouts of America and the promise has no foundation in Nigeria Scouting constitution and policy hence its use remains questionable. Raji stressed that seascouts should share same promise with other Sections as the essence of the promise is justified in the principles of Scouting for offering duties to God, self and others . He added that no other Countries in Africa and Europe use the Boy Scouts of America promise but using what suits their local conditions and owning theirs in originality. He maintained that while the BSA promise captures major elements of Seascouting program, its use does not represent the reality in Nigeria experiment of the section.
He continued adding that Seascouts should be ready to transit from physicality to an educational, recreational activity increase acceptability and conform with global practices.
Daniel Power,
National Seascouts Secretary.
