Participants at the ongoing STEM Teachers’ Training on Robotics in Warri, Delta State, have called on the federal government to increase investment in science education to enhance technological advancement in the country
They made the appeal during separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.
The participants also commended the organisers of the training and urged the government to expand the programme to accommodate more teachers.
The week-long training, which commenced on Monday, was organised for science teachers from selected secondary schools across Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states in the south-south region.
The programme is convened by Phoenixgirls Tech Foundation, Contego Servo International Limited, and Odyssey Educational Foundation, and is sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The conveners are among the major promoters of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Nigeria.
Mr Brass Kelvin, a participant from Nana Model College, Warri, described the programme as “educational, exciting, and inspiring. I have never participated in anything like this before. The training didn’t only cover robotics, it also included computer literacy,” he said.
He called on the government to increase the number of participating schools to enable more science teachers to benefit.
“It’s a programme that can bring about real change in the education sector,” he added.
Mr Okoh Isaac from Ozolua Grammar School, Ologbo, Edo State, expressed gratitude to the sponsors and organisers.
Isaac urged the government to invest more in technology, noting that the world had fully embraced robotics.
He identified some of the major challenges affecting science education in Nigeria as inadequate facilities, insufficient qualified science teachers, and a lack of motivation among students.
Another participant, Mr Arueyingho Andrew from Ajoki Secondary School Edo, praised the organisers and called on the government to establish initiatives that promote science education from the primary school level.
“The training has been very exciting and eventful. I urge the organisers to extend it to other schools that haven’t had the opportunity to benefit,” he said.
Andrew also highlighted the shortage of computers during the training and appealed for more systems to be made available in future editions.
Mrs Mary Omotosho from Okotie-Eboh Grammar School, Sapele, Delta State, noted that beyond robotics, the programme had introduced her to the basics of computer operation.
“Words cannot express how grateful I am to the organisers. Through this training, God has used them to break the yoke of computer illiteracy in my life. I appeal to them to make it an annual event,” she said.
Ms Maclean Dolly from Epie National High School, Kpansia, Yenagoa, said the training was geared towards societal development and improving living standards.
“Government should support this initiative so that more teachers and students can benefit,” she added.
Schools that participated in the training include Community Secondary School, Kalio-Ama, Okrika; Community Secondary School, Rumuoro Ogbakri (Rivers); Ozolua Grammar School, Ologbo; and Ajoki Secondary School, Ajoki (Edo).
Others are Community Secondary School, Okutukutu/Etegwe; Epie National High School, Kpansia (Bayelsa); Okotie-Eboh Grammar School, Sapele; Iwere College, Koko; and Nana Model College, Warri (Delta). (NAN
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