Foundation partners firm to empower secondary school girls in Oyo

In celebration of the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child, the STEM Education Development Foundation (SEDF) partnered with SkillNG to equip secondary school girls in Oyo State with crucial skills to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The event, themed “Girls Vision for the Future,” was held at Café One in Ibadan and aimed at leveraging learning quotient and technology to ensure a successful career in STEM for young girls.

The training sessions provided participants with insights on the significance of continuous learning and adaptability in today’s digital world.

The keynote address was delivered by the Managing Director of Inqaba Biotec West Africa, Mr. Lukman Aroworamimo, who emphasised the importance of fostering a learning culture among young girls to prepare them for future STEM careers.

The event also featured two practical training sessions facilitated by Damilola Alimi, a software engineer, and Abisola Esan, a botanist and media personality. Damilola’s session focused on understanding the learning quotient for career success and the role of technology in STEM careers, while Abisola’s session addressed building problem-solving skills in STEM and tackling gender biases and stereotypes.

In addition, Damilola led an interactive session where participants were shown how to build a smart toll gate using Arduino.

The Executive Director of the STEM Education Development Foundation, Bashirat Shodipo, highlighted the importance of a high learning or adaptability quotient among girls for a thriving STEM career.

“We believe that it’s not just enough to tell our girls to aspire to be STEM champions; we must also show them how. I am excited that this event has been impactful for the beneficiaries, who have learnt a lot of new things that will help them as they begin building their STEM careers,” Shodipo remarked.

She also reiterated SEDF’s commitment to promoting STEM education in Nigeria, noting that through initiatives such as the annual Cell is Life Inter-Secondary School STEM Competition, the foundation has reached over 7,000 students across Oyo, Ogun, and Delta States. “We will always continue to promote STEM education through various activities,” she added.

The co-founder of SkillNG also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, noting the importance of equipping young girls with in-demand skills.

“At SkillNG, we are passionate about helping young people acquire skills and experience that will help them thrive in the job market, and we are happy to be doing that for the beneficiaries. Our girls are our future, and we need them in STEM,” he stated.

The event marked a significant step in empowering young girls to pursue STEM careers, addressing gender biases, and equipping them with the skills needed for the future.

Through initiatives like this, the STEM Education Development Foundation and its partners continue to lay the foundation for a future where young women play an active role in shaping the STEM landscape in Nigeria and beyond.

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