The Lagos State Government and GetBundi Education Technology Company have provided financing to create a STEM lab at Wesley Girls Senior High School in Yaba, Lagos.
The Lagos State Government and GetBundi are collaborating on the STEM lab as the first step in a collaboration that would eventually see the state’s schools adopt GetBundi’s education technology platform.
Dr Adetola Salau, Special Assistant on Education to the Executive Governor of Lagos State, stressed the importance of STEM education during his speech at the centre’s commissioning by emphasising how it helps students prepare for the workforce and equips them with the skills they need to succeed in a society that is driven by technology and is experiencing rapid change.
The STEAMUP Lagos project, which Salau oversees, aims to instil the principles of a globally unified STEAM curriculum, make learning enjoyable, accessible, sustainable, and relatable to learners, and foster in them the capacity for critical thought, problem identification and problem-solving skills, collaboration, and creativity in designing solutions to identified challenges in society.
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According to Salau, this idea works in line with the Getbundi service.
She said thanks to the collaboration, GetBundi is assisting students with “real-world experience and helping them to develop the skills that are in demand in the job market with the donation of a STEAM lab equipped with the latest equipment and software”.
“They supported our district here – Educational District IV, specifically Wesley Girls Secondary School – through this generous support which aligns with our goals that ultimately focus on the provision of quality education for all of the state’s children. This encourages educational innovation that aims to improve learning outcomes.
“We are also glad that this lab will be at a girls’ secondary school because we are driven about inspiring girls to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) courses and careers – by providing access to STEM resources directly at their school which would lead to the setting up of clubs and activities that would support their learning more about STEM and its relevance to their lives,” she said.
Stem Lab In Test Phase
Founder/CEO of GetBundi, Osita Oparaugo, said the STEM laboratory established in Wesley Girls Senior Secondary School was a pilot programme to enable the Lagos State government to evaluate the platform and receive feedback from students and teachers so that the government and GetBundi can then design the appropriate framework to adopt the technology across government schools in Lagos.
Oparaugo said GetBundi is a government-approved online educational technology platform with the aim to maximise technology to make high-quality and engaging STEM subjects for secondary school and Digital Skills courses accessible to everyone across Africa.
Oparaugo said “Less than 18 percent of Africans, Nigerians inclusive, who enter the universities pursue science-related fields due to lack of appreciation of STEM caused by inability of African countries to invest in science education mostly at the secondary school level.
“For instance, by 2030 there will be nearly 250 million job gaps in the digital space as our world is constantly changing through technology. African youths must be equipped with the right skill sets if they want to be productive and competitive.”
He explained that the existing gaps were the reason for setting up GetBundi with the goal of massifying STEM and Digital Skill courses across Africa and a target to upskill 10 million African workforces by 2030 under the GetBundi Vision 2033.
According to him, GetBundi currently offers online vocational training on 16 digital skills courses, six of which have courses in pidgin English developed by industry experts in Africa and around the world and hopes to add 14 more courses during its next content development scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.
Mrs Juliet Ijeh, course coordinator GetBundi Education Technology and GetBundi Education Foundation, lauded the Lagos State Government for appreciating the importance of STEM education and the partnership with GetBundi.
“To build an Africa beyond aid, the continent must refocus learning towards science and technology, especially for post primary students and youths. I wish other states in Nigeria will emulate what Lagos is doing and embrace STEM learning,” Ijeh said.
The Lagos State Government had earlier given approval to GetBundi to set up a STEAM lab at Wesley Girls Secondary School via a letter dated 22 February 2023 and addressed to GetBundi Education Technology Limited.