Chevron, others harp on capacity building in STEM

CHEVRON Nigeria Limited and its Agbami Co-ventures have urged Nigerian youth on capacity development in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics  (STEM).

Speaking at a symposium in Lagos recently, Richard Kennedy, Director, Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited in his opening remarks said Nigerian youths need to develop their capabilities in the STEM.

According to him, “to succeed in this new information-based and technology-driven global society, Nigerian youths need to develop their capabilities in STEM to a level far exceeding what was considered acceptable in the past. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are undeniably some of the key subjects to study now because of the need for Nigeria to evolve the scientific and technological innovation needed to face the challenge of globalisation and build an evolving knowledge-based economy.”

More importantly, he argued that STEM education is directly linked to global competitiveness and future economic prosperity.

“The world has moved to knowledge-based economy. We need people who can provide solutions in Nigeria. We need to restructure our education sector because STEM is the future of Nigeria. STEM is integration, because we need to teach students problem-solving now,” he said.

Shola Adebawo, Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Chevron Nigeria, in an interview, said for things to be better, the curriculum needs to be reworked and the instructional system re-engineered to make sure that it gives emphasis to STEM and which without, he said the country will still be the way it.

Professor Ben Akpan, Executive Director, Science Teachers Association of Nigeria in his keynote address titled: “Integrating STEM and 21st Century Skills: Innovative Approaches to STEM Education,”  said the problem of science education in Nigeria is infrastructure.

“There are many benefits that STEM provides to the society. Economic, utilisation, democratic, social and cultural development are all what the society will benefit from STEM.

“The science community believes that STEM is the greatest value to man and his environment. It has a dual mandate which is: one, to ensure that everybody has a basic literacy in science; two is the preparation of future engineers, medical doctors and others needed by the society. The first is for all and the second is preparing people for future careers in related professions.

“We are in this situation in our country on STEM education because of basic infrastructure. Infrastructure here, is a major deficit in Nigeria. It’s critical in science. We have people who schooled here and when they go out, they excel, but here nothing,” Akpan said.

Look, how many know about the universe. How many have an idea of it? People outside are doing things, but here we can’t even fix a door. We are getting to an era of artificial intelligence, where computers is almost taken over. Computers are now taking design cues from brain.

“The world is moving, but from our side here, nothing. People talk about the curriculum, but I can tell you that that’s not the problem. I have traveled all over the world for science exhibitions and I do see their curriculum and it’s not about it, but actually what they do.

Teachers need to be motivated, so that they will be able to engage and guide students inSTEM, he said.

Meanwhile, Lead Forth College, Baptist Girls Academy came first and second respectively at the Agbami 2017 STEMaward, and Majidun Senior Grammar School, came third at the 2017 Agbami STEMquiz competition.

The symposium was organized in commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day, and also to award the the winners of Agbami STEM Quiz competition, themed Promoting Excellence in STEM Teaching and Learning”, aimed to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers.

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