The United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration Agency (NASA), in conjunction with a Nigerian non-governmental organisation, Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) Nigeria, has commenced an educational initiative in the country to boost awareness about Astronomy and Space Science among Nigerian students.
Under the Initiative, a team of NASA Ambassadors visited Nigeria recently on an exchange program aimed at exposing students to NASA missions as a way of encouraging them to show interest in Space Science and the Space Sector, in the pursuit of their career path.
During a visit to Premiere Academy in Lugbe, Abuja on Thursday, March 21, 2024, the NASA team, comprising Mark Guillette, a Professor of Sociology at Valencia College, Orlando, Florida, and Spencer Pastorin, Attorney at Howell & Thornhill, P.A., observed that the visit was a great opportunity to interact with the students towards capturing their imagination and creating interest in Space Science.
While observing that the school has a commendable extracurricular structure that fosters students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the NASA Ambassadors said inspiring the students through unique interactions that stimulate excitement in Space and Astronomy as future careers would greatly shape the future of the country. The team also commended the various Robotics and AI-generated inventions of the students that were on display.
They noted that although Astronomy and Space Science are not subjects at the elementary and secondary levels of education in Nigeria, the high levels of outputs on display from the Premiere Academy students showed the abundance of unique talents and skills waiting to be molded into future global leaders in the field of Astronomy.
In her remarks, the Chief Scientific Officer of Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) Nigeria, Olayinka Fagbemiro, said her NGO organised the visit of the NASA Ambassadors to the country as part of a strategic effort to domesticate space science and technology in Nigeria through a “Catch-them-young” educational initiative.
“AWB Nigeria is fully into STEM Advocacy and bridging the gaps in STEM education on various levels by regularly organizing Astronomy-based projects and programs as tools to inspire the Nigerian children to develop passion for Astronomy,” she explained.
While thanking the NASA and AWB teams for the unique visit, Premiere Academy’s Principal, Mr. John Olugbenro, stressed the School’s commitment to ensuring that the students receive well-rounded education that could help them rub shoulders with the best of their contemporaries globally.
“As advocates for holistic education that reflects growing global trends and aspirations, we understand the importance of facilitating for our students opportunities that expose them to cutting-edge technologies, knowledge and skills in diverse fields of Study. We shall continue to re-invent and evolve our systems and environments in line with emerging global trends to not only set our students on a path of academic excellence but to also ensure that they are well-rounded in other vital areas of life with essential life skills that foster confidence, creativity, teamwork and all-round leadership in order for them to be fully ready to shine in all aspects of life,” Olugbenro stated.
