By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has organised a training on Robotics for STEM Teachers in selected secondary schools in the South-South region of Nigeria.
The training, done in collaboration with a coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), is intended to complement the efforts of the Ministry of Education by promoting a robust and skill-based educational framework that significantly enhances both teachers’ and students’ competencies in robotics.
Speaking at the training, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Phoenixgirls Tech Foundation, Dr. Elizabeth Eterigho, stated that the training aims to contribute to building a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Eterigho added that the programme was designed to sensitise, train, and empower both teachers and students with essential robotic skills and the mindset required to improve the quality of STEM education in an ever-evolving global economy.
According to her, the objectives of the programme include encouraging creativity and innovation through robotics challenges, teaching participants coding, engineering, and problem-solving skills, promoting teamwork, and inspiring sustainable solutions to real-world problems.
The CEO emphasised that STEM education remains the cornerstone of innovation, economic growth, and social development in a rapidly changing world.
She noted that STEM education equips students with the skills necessary to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex and technology-driven landscape.
In her words, “Robotics, as an embodiment of STEM, provides a hands-on approach to learning that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Beyond serving as educational tools, robotics also offers a gateway to understanding the world.
“Through robotics, students can explore complex concepts in physics, mathematics, and computer science in a tangible and engaging way. It encourages experimentation, innovation, and critical thinking skills essential for the 21st-century workforce.”
Eterigho expressed that the theme of the programme outlines the importance of sustainability and inclusivity in economic development, adding that as educators, teachers have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that students are not only skilled but also conscious of the societal and environmental impacts of their work.
The CEO also stated that robotics can act as a powerful tool in helping students to develop solutions for real-world challenges, ranging from environmental conservation to social equity. She further urged participants to remain focused, open to learning, and adaptable.
She also assured that the knowledge and skills gained during the training would not only enhance their teaching practices but also empower their students to become the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.
Other facilitators of the programme, who are also advocates of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, included Contego Servo International Limited and Odyssey Educational Foundation.
Science teachers, drawn from various schools in Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states, converged in Warri for this one-week intensive training.
One of the participants, Mr. Vincent Ebire, a Mathematics teacher at Community Secondary School, Kalio-Ama, Okrika, expressed his gratitude to the organisers and vowed to pass on the knowledge he has acquired to his students.
Also in attendance were the Programme Coordinator, Dr. Silver Ejejigbe; NCDMB Training Manager, Mr Festus Erubore, who represented the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Felix Ogbe; among other dignitaries.