an Information Communication Technology (ICT) expert, Mr Samuel Atiku, Tuesday urged the federal government to intensify efforts on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in schools to achieve technological advancement.
Atiku, head of research at BudgIT, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Lagos that STEM subjects had proven to be crucial to the nation’s technological development.
He said that for the country to move forward it needs to produce a generation of innovative thinkers in the technology sector.
Atiku noted that to create such innovative minds the government should invest more in the educational sector by deploying teachers that were well grounded in the area of STEM to schools and also build laboratories, research departments, among others.
“Government needs to provide competent teachers to facilitate the teaching and learning of these subjects,’’ he said.
Atiku said that the technologies being used currently were becoming obsolete and to evolve, enough young minds who understood Science and Technology were needed.
“We need to know that technological and scientific innovations have become very essential in battling some challenges we are facing in terms of globalisation,’’ he said.
Atiku said that if STEM subjects were made compulsory in both private and public schools, children who naturally did not have flair in the science area would start developing interest.
He said that asides from the government and teachers, the parents also had a role to play in impacting STEM education.
“Parents should also encourage and expose their children, both male and female, to STEM-related activities, because they learn better at home,’’ Atiku said.
