Education
STEM: Group Trains 200 Girls, 40 Teachers
A non-governmental organisation, Zonal Club of Ibadan 1, has trained no fewer than 200 secondary schoolgirls and 40 teachers on enhancing girls’ participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The President of the organisation, Dr Olajumoke Akere, made this known at the grand finale of an event tagged, “STEM Needs Girls and U Teach STEM”, in Ibadan on Sunday.
She said the training was geared toward bridging gaps in STEM fields.
Akere said that the organisation would strive to expand the scope of the training.
According to her, statistics has shown that only 28 per cent of females are into STEM professions globally, while gender gap is high and fast growing in computer science and engineering which are considered to be the dependable professions in future.
She added that the training was to encourage girls to take up careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to widen their intellectual horizons as well as achieve self-sustainablity.
“We believe that there is gender imbalance in these professions; hence, the need for more girls in STEM careers,” she said.
Akere said that the society would need to motivate and encourage girls to go into STEM.
“We believe that a career in STEM will help them to be contributive and productive to the society, themselves and global environment.
“If we look at the 21st century, one of the skills that are very important for any individual to have is Information and Communication Technology (ICT),” Akere said.
She suggested expansion of after-school and summer school opportunities for girls and provision of professional education to teachers, among others.
In a keynote address, the Director in-charge of ICT at the University of Ibadan, Mrs Abiodun Alao, called on governments to adequately fund ICT education and provide necessary facilities for schools.
“The major thing our government should do is to provide an enabling environment, and in doing so, the government needs to ensure that schools are well-funded.
“The truth is that ICT is capital intensive and it is not something some individuals or even some schools will be able to do successfully without the necessary financial backing from government.
“It is high time we had a stream or what we call the highline of intervention for ICT.
“Until the government gives this attention, schools will continue to struggle and develop at their own pace,” Alao said.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.