SHEENGINEERS Project: Lagos Teachers Sweep Awards at APWEN STEM Contest

By Funmi Ogundare

As a demonstration of its improved manpower efficiency in the education sector, three teachers in Lagos State, have emerged winners of the Just-concluded Association of Professional Women in Engineering (APWEN) STEM Training/Practical competition under its SHEENGINEERS’ ‘Invent It, Build It’ project.

The project which is aimed at ensuring that teachers display creativity in using everyday material to teach  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), saw Mr. Kazeem Lawal Akinsola of Lagos State Junior Model College, Kankon, Badagry, Education District V clinching the first position, while Miss Chika Nnaji Adebola of Baptist Junior, Surulere, Education District IV and Miss Alexander Ibukun of Ajara Comprehensive Senior  High School, Education District V emerged second and  third positions respectively. They received prizes such as laptop computer and tablets for their efforts.

Four other teachers from the state also won consolation prizes being among the best 10 participating teachers in the competition.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held Friday, at the Ministry of Education Secretariat, Alausa, Lagos, the immediate past President of APWEN and Project Director, SHEENGINEERS, Dr. Felicia Agubata commended the Lagos State government for its investment on the teachers and support throughout the competition which results were judged fairly.

She said a virtual competition was held on November 28 when about 125 teachers drawn from across Nigeria participated, adding that the objective of the competition was to use everyday material to teach STEM.

“From the feedback we got from the teachers, they are already using it to teach their students,” she said, adding that APWEN will continue to lend its support to the ministry in the area of STEM.

Addressing the winners, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, expressed excitement about the success recorded by the teachers, saying that they have to be up to-date in technology in order to teach their students effectively.

She said the achievements by these teachers is a testament to the quality of education the state government offers in ensuring that the teachers are well equipped and are constantly trained for excellence in service delivery across the schools within the state.

 “We are in the days of critical thinking, where the teachers can give the students ideas and require them to form their own knowledge; this is the new norm for critical concepts in our society; and any teacher in this noble profession must up the scale to be more relevant.”

Adelaja thanked APWEN for the opportunity given to the teachers saying that despite the challenges faced during the buildup to the virtual competition, they were able to achieve the best results. She advised the winners to continue their good work.