It was excitement and revealing as students across secondary schools in Lagos State thrilled dignitaries with their innovative technological inventions powered by their passion for studies in Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM).
The STEM programme, initiated by Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, a Chevron Company and other Agbami parties including Famfa Oil Limited, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Equinor Nigeria Limited and Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited, in partnership with Lagos Business School (LBS), aims to align with the national efforts in encouraging the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Business Hilights recalls that the Agbami Field is currently the single largest oil field in deep water West Africa. It commenced production in July 2008 and at peak production, it contributes about 250,000 barrels of oil per day to Nigeria’s crude oil production.
In his opening remarks, the director Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited; a Chevron Company, Mr. Richard Kennedy explained that “The overall objective of scheme is developing the capacity of STEM teachers and rekindling students’ interest in STEM studies which is the critical resource, required for future progress. It provides a platform to engage participants in a forward-thinking conversation on critical national education policy changes and corporate engagement platforms required to ensure the highest quality of teaching and learning of STEM in Nigeria”.
He added that “the theme for the 2018 Agbami STEM symposium which is ‘teaching STEM in the 21st century: Current trends, international best practices and cross-sector action’ is apt considering the speed of technological development when compared with educational challenges in a developing economy.
Kennedy averred that “We hope that this programme will identify issues in Nigeria’s STEM education reforms and provide strategies to ensure that STEM education is elevated to a national priority. It will also identify improved or alternative learning approaches in STEM education”
“To succeed in this new information-based and technology-driven global society, Nigerian youths need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels for exceeding what was considered acceptable in the past,” Kennedy averred.
In his Vote of Thanks, the Group General Manager, NAPIMS/NNPC, Mr. Rowland Ebuware said “At NAPIMS, as an agency that is in charge of managing NNPC’s investment, the most important investment for us is the investment in human capital, and especially in securing the future of our young ones by supporting education”.
In his further submission, Ebuware disclosed that “We are, therefore, constantly committed to improving the lives of Nigerians. In achieving this, we seek, maintain, and remain open to partnerships that facilitate the actualization of this commitment.”
Also speaking, the Faculty Head, School Sustainability Centre at Lagos Business School (LBS), Dr. Mrs. Ijeoma Nwagwu argued that with experience in studying across three continents of the world, “There is no difference between African school children and their mates in other continents but in the availability of educational opportunities which programmes like STEM is serving as a gap bridging scheme”.
She added that creating, critical thinking, collaboration and communications are the 4Cs that are needed to expand the child development opportunity space for innovation.
Commenting on the imports of STEM symposium and exhibition, Sola Adebawo, an official of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), said the magic is to start early in making sure that Nigerian students are grounded at a lower age in the study of STEM before they get to adulthood because innovation begins from childhood with stimulating the child’s thinking around creating solutions to human problems.”
“The idea to create solutions starts small at tender age as a child begins to become aware of the challenges of the world, his or her mind continues to think of deeper solutions to the challenges and what we at Chevron are doing is to catch them young through STEM and nurture them to adult maturity from where they can enlarge their coast of innovation and solving societal problems.
Business Hilights reports that at the end of the symposium and exhibition which saw innovative displays of different problems solving presentations from over 10 schools, Childville Secondary School came first, Corona Secondary School, Agbara placed second as Apostolic Church Grammar School emerged third position.
The panel of jury was quick to make it clear that all the participants at the exhibition did well and their products met every standard in terms of ability to resolve teething challenges in child education.
