The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has flagged off the North West Zonal Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centres in government secondary school, Rano, Kano State.
STEM is one of the components of the National Social Investment Programme(NSIP), which is strategically aimed at providing technical platform that would aid modern teaching and learning to students in some carefully selected school at both Federal and State-owned Science/Technical Secondary Schools Nationwide.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali said the project will provide e-learning facilities through the establishment of a State – of- the -Art Information and Communication Technology ( ICT) infrastructure and modern teaching content.
In a statement signed by Deputy Director Information, Adeyemo Felicia, Alkali said the project will serve as a one-stop-shop for students in Public Secondary Schools to have access to digital and updated learning materials in sciences while also developing their ICT skills including the use of the Internet for various purposes.
He explained that STEM has two components, the set-up of the centres in selected government owned secondary schools and training the teachers in the schools selected.
According to him, STEM centres are established to give students of the secondary schools practical experience in digital learning platforms while the training component focuses on building capacity of Teachers to significantly enhance learning of STEM which is the foundation of digital economy.
He said each STEM centres is equipped with modern digital equipment and a total of 218 of such schools all over the 36 States and FCT are equipped with these digital gadgets; 25 All in One Desktop PC, 2 4inch Screen Intel 2.8 GHz qua-core, 25 Desktop table and chairs, 1 Projector of 5000 lumen, 1 Magnetic White Board for learning, 1 WiFi Routers multi-SIM and 18 Elegoo Robotics set.
The Ministry also presented 259 Android Tablets to Bayero University Training Centre in the state.
Also Speaking, The Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Umar Ganduje represented by the SSG, Alhaji Usman Alhaji commended the Federal Government for it’s foresight in providing the needed equipment and conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning of STEM nationwide, adding that Kano State is working hard to uplift the standard of education in the state.
Also the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Sanusi Saidu-Kiru said 11 schools are currently benefitting from the STEM project.
Others present at the event were, SSG, Usman Waziri, Director Humanitarian Affairs Alhaji Grema Ali,State Focal Person STEM Aminu Zubair, N-POWER Team Lead,Nsikak Okon, Director SSG Rano Malam Umar Muktar and others.
