Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
A non-government organisation (NGO), Empowering Africans Through Education Initiative (EAE), Siemens Stiftung and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in partnership with Siemens Energy have ended the second phase of the Experimento STEM Training in Nigeria for educators of primary and elementary schools in Bayelsa.
The training was created for educators, especially the in-service classroom teachers of elementary and secondary schools by providing practical and modern-based teaching of science and technology to strengthen students and youths understanding of science and technology.
The two weeks training workshop focused on experiments on energy, the environment, and health that convey relevant knowledge on subjects central to the development of the African youths, especially in Nigeria.
The Co-founder and Executive Director of EAE, who spoke at the opening ceremony at headquarters of NCDMB in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said expanding STEM education (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) was a crucial part of education policies in the world.
She however said achieving this goal depends on well-qualified educators in the classroom and was why EAE partnered Siemens Energy on the 2022 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 their provision of resources and tools. This year, our target is to reach an additional 1000 schools, for which this training in Bayelsa is the first step toward accomplishing our vision in Nigeria,” she added
Also speaking, Head of Business Development, Siemens Energy Limited, Oladayo Orolu, believes the program was 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.
“Discovering and understanding science and technology in Africa is the core focus of Siemens Stiftung’s international education program Experimento. These experiments and resources would motivate pupils to come up with their questions about science and technology, develop value-based behaviours, and create a keen interest in science and technology.”
The program coordinator, Angel Benson, said the initiative was aimed at providing instructional materials (lab-in-a-box) to young people which will allow them to think independently, and creatively solve scientific problems and solutions while also creating a cooperative learning environment that will make STEM education easier and interactive.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Okwokwo Osuze, a teacher at St John Primary School, Ogu in Yenagoa local government area, applauded the sponsors of the training programme describing it as the first of its kind in the drive to encourage STEM education at the primary school level.
