…exhibits 22 science projects by female students
The Christopher Kolade Foundation has boosted female students’ participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology education with its second edition of the SHE Science and Technology Fair.
The fair, held in Lagos, had the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebile, as the special guest of honour.
The event, which was girls only, featured top successful women in science; a speaker panel of girls in the SHE Initiative programme; the keynote speaker in person of the Managing Director of Siemens, Onyeche Tifase; and the General Manager, Deep Water Operations, Chevron Nigeria, Michelle Obatoyinbo.
According to the Managing Consultant, CKF, Ormobola Lana, about 22 projects of SHE Initiative participants, from 10 Lagos State public schools, were displayed at the fair.
The participating schools were: Akande Dahunsi Memorial Senior High School; Babs Fafunwa Millennium Senior Grammar School; Central Senior High School; Dolphin Senior High School; Ebute Elefun Senior High School; Estate Senior Grammar School; Ijeshatedo Senior Grammar School; Ilupeju Senior Grammar School; Omole Senior Grammar School and Wahab Folawiyo Senior High School.
On the need to encourage female participation in STEM education, the founder, CFK, Dr. Christopher Kolade, said the country required science for development.
He said the Foundation was structured to empower students to build confidence in science, to develop and use it (science) to change the future.
He added, “Science, Technology and Mathematics are what the world is using to change tomorrow. These are the things needed so that Nigeria will no longer be an under-developing country. We must start doing things today that will qualify us to take our rightful place tomorrow. We need more
energy.
“It is up to us to change our country; we must not wait for people with big titles to change it. The confidence of the Christopher Kolade Foundation is that we can put students in line with certain opportunities to learn. This will empower them to change the nation. The opportunity we are giving here is to enable you to learn something, which will empower you to make a change. I believe that these girls that I see today will change the world with Science, Technology and Mathematics.”
Kolade charged youths to change the country, using the values being learnt at the fair, noting that they must retain, maintain and develop them so that the future could be a better one.
“I congratulate you because you have started early,” he said.
The deputy governor, represented on the occasion by a Permanent Secretary, Yetunde Odejayi, noted that the STEM education had been restricted to boys
alone.
She admonished parents to change their perspectives on the girl child education in science.
She said, “The theme tagged: ‘All in: every girl, all options, best efforts’ is very apt and relevant. There is always an impression that the Science, Technology and Mathematics courses are dominated by boys but that is now a fallacy.
“Although girls remain unrepresented in the field, this is not as a result of difference in intellectual capacity but due to the stereotypes of parents who believe it is awkward for girls to pursue successful careers in the field. Probably, the Foundation should consider seminars for parents and guardians so that when a girl wants to do Science, she would not be barred by her
parents.”
