Dickson inaugurates Ctee on science and technology

GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has inaugurated a 12-member committee, with a mandate to provide a framework for capacity building and development of science and technology education in all schools, in the state.

Performing the inauguration ceremony in Government House, Yenagoa, Dickson, charged the Science and Technology Education Committee to develop a template of minimum infrastructural requirements and standards for equipping science and training facilities.

Contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Francis Ottah Agbo says, the committee, which is chaired by Prof Ayibaemi Spiff, is also saddled with the responsibility of developing the requisite human resource base in an integrated manner for training and innovation.

The Governor, who restated his administration’s commitment to making appropriate investments in the education sector, explained that the committee was set up to work closely with other stakeholders to promote the growth of science and technology in the state.

He said further that government would provide more state-of-the-art laboratories and equip teachers with modern teaching techniques to enable them to prepare the young minds, especially at the primary school level.

His words: “All the richest companies in the world are now technologically based. The world is clearly moving towards another direction. We, as a government has a duty to lay the foundation to lead in the area of technology.

“We want to be sure that our primary schools are producing the scientists of the future as early as possible, where our young minds will be introduced to the basic principles of scientific knowledge. We want to be sure that all the secondary schools we have built have the right laboratories and other science equipment.

Dickson, who noted that his administration’s investments in the sector were yielding the desired results, disclosed that, the government recently signed a contract of N1.5 billion for the procurement of free books to all public schools.

He directed the Commissioner for Education to liaise with the Education Development Trust Fund Board to enable the committee get the needed support.

Responding, the chairperson of the Science and Technology Education Committee, Prof Mrs Ayibaemi Spiff acknowledged the achievements of the restoration government in the education sector.

She expressed gratitude to the Governor for the confidence reposed in members of the committee and pledged their commitment towards working for the realization of the set goals.

Prof Akpoebi Egumu is the secretary of the committee, while Prof.Kingsley Alagoa, Dr Mrs Grace Koroye, Dr Moses Harold are to serve as members.

Others include: Dr Emmanuel Denenu, Dr Franklin Osaisai, Dr Promise Mebine, Dr Ebimieowei Etebu, Joyce Singabele representing Ministry of Education, Oguara Gelegukuma representing Ministry of Science and Technology and Comrade Walton Liverpool, representing the State Universal Basic Education Board.