By Jennifer Y Omiloli
On Tuesday, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) through its Director of Bio-Resource, Mr Abayomi Oguntunde, said it would encourage more girls to develop interest in sciences by boosting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education at Secondary Schools in the rural areas.
According to him, such effort will promote gender mainstreaming in science education and that Nigeria stood to gain a lot in a knowledge-based economy if the girl-child education is given remarkable encouragement in science.
“To actualise the objective, the ministry recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Organisation for Women in the Science for the Developing World (OWSD).
“The International Women Body is expected to assist in carrying out sensitisation programme on STEM education in rural areas in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.
“The body will develop strategy and implementation plan and share it with the ministry before commencing on the pilot project, “he said.
The director said that the move is to enhance the pace of socio-economic development of the country.
