Don deplores dearth of science equipment in Nigerian schools

A LECTURER in the Department of Botany, University of Lagos, Dr. Temitope Onuminya, has decried the poor state of science laboratories in schools across the country.

  According to him, these laboratories fall short of 21st century requirements in the teaching and learning of science courses.

  Speaking on the theme, “Science in the 21st Century,” at the 8th edition of the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) Yaba, Science Week, Onuminya said that existing facilities in schools across the country were grossly inadequate to aid effectively in the teaching of science.

  She lamented that the country’s quest for accelerated development might not be realised, if government and education managers do not invest heavily in the acquisition of science materials.

  According to her, “Governments across board need to ensure that they invest in both equipment and technical know-how in order to teach science effectively and get the much needed result. There is dearth of science teachers in our schools and even where we teachers, there is little or no training for them.

  “We must be able to move with the trend so as to be able to compete favourably with other emerging economies of the world. I feel on a general note that Nigerian students are brilliant and enthusiastic about learning so much that when they have an opportunity to travel out of the country, they become theoretically grounded much more than they are exposed to practicals,” she said.

  She further stated that countries that invest in science are enjoying numerous benefits inherent in doing so, urging governments at different levels to reequip laboratories is schools so as to reap from the exercise.

  In his remark, principal of the college, Rev. Chris Ugorgi, who enumerated the positive impact of science on humanity said, “Our students are eligible future human resource persons in this field and can be exposed, trained, developed, equipped and fortified through this yearly event. The theme has helped us in making new discoveries.”

   Head, Department of Science, Mrs. Margaret Nyah, who said the yearly programme enables the school to make new findings added, “This will renew our commitment to building a better future and then the students will be encouraged to consider careers in the sciences.”