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Nigerian engineers task government on technical education funding

By Bertram Nwannekanma
27 May 2019   |   4:04 am
To galvanise interest among secondary school students on engineering, the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers...

Mathematics research

To galvanise interest among secondary school students on engineering, the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), has called for proper funding of technical schools in the country.

Chairman of the branch, Dr. Musliu Agoro made the call at the 2019 Inter Schools Quiz competition held at Oyebolu Engineering Resource Centre, University of Lagos.

The quiz competition was focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), an interdisciplinary and applied approach.

Agoro lamented that although the United Nations has advised that countries spend 26 per cent of their total annual budget on education, Nigeria is spending less than 10 per cent .

He blamed lack of qualified teachers for mathematics and further mathematics, as well as other science based subjects for the inability of students to study engineering courses.

According to him, government need to fund science education because the situation is not actually encouraging students to take to science subjects.

He stressed that it was part of NSE mandates to mentor the younger ones, especially those in secondary schools, so as to encourage them pursue career course in any area of engineering.

“In furtherance to that mandate , we have decided to organise the quiz competition among secondary schools within our jurisdictions and 14 secondary schools are participating”, he said.

According to him, the branch is partnering with engineering based industries to link up with the schools to improve their education.

He stressed that 30 students were also trained by Airbus Foundation on robotics and team work , which was facilitated by the branch to encourage them take to engineering.

Also speaking, the secretary of the branch, Adesina Osinloye said the annual event was also to allow students exhibit their crafts.

The aim , he said, was to give them opportunity and link them to those who may buy those crafts and improve their cash flow. According to him, the previous event focused on debates.

He listed the participating schools as Eko Boys High School, Igbobi Senior High School, Jeed Trinity Colleges, Methodist Girls Senior High School, International School, University of Lagos, Federal College of Education Technical Staff Secondary School and Eletu Edibo Senior High School.

At the end of the competition, Igbobi senior High school emerged winners, while International School , University of Lagos came second with Eletu Edibo Senior High School coming third.

Other participatory schools received certificates and plagues.
Speaking on the competition, Dr Agoro, promised to sustain it and even expand it with the inclusion of the Bethesda Home for the Blind.

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