Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Empowering Africans Through Education Initiative (EAE), Siemens Stiftung and Siemens Energy have concluded second phase of the ‘Experimento STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Training in Nigeria for primary and elementary school teachers in Bayelsa State.
The programme provided educators, especially in-service classroom teachers in elementary and secondary schools with practical and modern-based teaching of science and technology to boost pupils’ understanding of science and technology.
The two-week workshop focused on energy, environment and health as they relate centrally to the development of Nigerian and African youths.
Co-founder and Executive Director of EAE, Chinenye Ezeakor, who spoke at the opening ceremony in Yenagoa, observed that expanding STEM was a crucial part of education policies in the world.
She added that achieving this goal depends on well-qualified educators, hence her organisation partnered with Siemens Energy on this year’s training.
“This recurring partnership by Siemens Stiftung means that we are continuously achieving our goals of expanding the knowledge of young Africans in STEM through the provision of resources and tools. This year, our target is to reach 1,000 additional schools, for which this training in Bayelsa is the first step towards accomplishing our vision in Nigeria,” she added.
In his remarks, Head of Business Development, Siemens Energy Limited, Oladayo Orolu, said the programme provides an opportunity to develop a solid foundation for professional training of workers, economic productivity and sustainable value creation.
He said: “Siemens Energy is committed to supporting Nigeria’s human capital development through investment in STEM education.”
The Experimento initiative is one of such investments aimed at helping the country build the needed local capacity to stimulate technological innovation and creativity. We are delighted about the execution of the Phase 2 scheme in Bayelsa State, and we are confident that the impact will have a ripple effect on the future development of the pupils.
“In 2021, 100 teachers were trained in the Experimento program within states in Nigeria. This second phase would ensure the training of an additional 100 in-service teachers in science and technology, providing them with support and resources to deliver more relatable and practical teaching methods.”
The Programme Coordinator, Angel Benson, said the initiative is geared at providing instructional materials (lab-in-a-box) to young people to enable them to think independently and creatively solve scientific problems, while also creating a conducive learning environment that makes STEM education easier and interactive.
According to her, the box has over 120 different experiments to stir kids’ hunger for more knowledge and creativity.
Also speaking, a lecturer at Bayelsa Medical University and one of the facilitators, Efere Timothy, lauded the scheme, noting that it would stimulate the minds of the kids towards innovative skills in STEM training.
One of the beneficiaries, Okwokwo Osuze, a teacher at St John Primary School, Ogu in Yenagoa Council, thanked the sponsors, describing the programme as first of its kind in the bid to encourage STEM education at the primary school level.