The call was made by EECW Project Coordinator, Mr. Ben Dankaka, during a science-themed schools debate held in Kagoro, Kaura Local Government Area. The event was organized under the Laraba Deyjih Akapson Science Innovation Prize for Girls initiative, aimed at empowering young girls in underserved communities.
Empowering Girls Through STEM
Dankaka explained that the initiative seeks to provide STEM education and resources to girls in rural areas who typically lack access to such opportunities.
“The Laraba Deyjih Akapson Science Innovation Prize for Girls is an initiative by EECW, established in honour of the late Mrs. Laraba Deyjih Akapson. She was the mother of EECW founder, Senator Nenadi Usman, and lived a life dedicated to serving others. To continue her legacy, this initiative seeks to bring STEM learning to girls who wouldn’t normally have access to it,” he said.
Dankaka emphasized the importance of equipping girls with STEM knowledge, given their significant proportion of Nigeria’s population. “Since girls make up a large portion of Nigeria’s population, it’s important to provide them with more opportunities to learn about science and technology,” he added.
Addressing the STEM Gap
He highlighted the urgent need to address the lack of awareness and participation in STEM education, particularly in rural areas.
“Right now, not many students in Africa, including Nigeria, study STEM subjects, especially compared to countries like China and India. In Nigeria, fewer than 25 percent of students choose STEM, and only a small number of them finish with STEM degrees,” Dankaka stated.
Inspiring Young Innovators
The guest speaker, Mrs. Gillian Ashio, Head of the Department of Technical Education at Kaduna State College of Education, delivered a paper titled “The Future of Education: How Young Innovators Can Change The World.”
Ashio noted that Nigeria’s youthful population has the potential to transform its educational system through creativity, technology, and lessons from other countries.
“Young people like you can help solve educational problems by bringing new ideas where traditional methods have failed. Finland, for example, focuses on practical learning instead of too many tests and examinations. Students engage in hands-on projects such as building models or conducting experiments, thereby promoting creativity,” she stated.
Debate Competition Highlights
The event featured a debate contest between Girls Science Secondary School (GSSS) Kwoi, Government Girls College (GGC) Zonkwa, and Government Secondary School (GSS) Kagoro. The topic of the debate was “Girls in Nigeria face more barriers in STEM due to cultural beliefs, not lack of interest.”
GSS Kagoro emerged as the winner, receiving three desktop computers, while GGC Zonkwa came in as the first runner-up and was rewarded with two desktop computers. GSSS Kwoi took home one desktop computer for finishing third.
Gratitude from Students
Flora Samuel from GSS Kagoro, speaking on behalf of the students, thanked the organizers for their efforts to encourage girls from rural communities to explore careers in STEM fields.
The EECW’s initiative underscores the importance of bridging the STEM education gap for girls in rural areas, empowering them to become future innovators and leaders in science and technology.