October 18, (THEWILL) – Fifty teachers from the Lagos State Education District One have completed a five-day STEM training workshop tagged “Global Air Drone Challenge for Teachers.”
The teacher capacity-building workshop led by instructors from U.S.-headquartered Global Air Drone Academy and sponsored by the U.S. consulate-general in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Education.
Throughout the five-day training, the teachers, drawn from public schools in underserved communities of Agege, Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye, were introduced to the basics of building and flying drones, computer coding, solar panel assembly, as well as various aspects of implementing an integrated approach to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the classroom.
Speaking at the grand finale of the workshop held at the Government Senior College, Agege, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Stephen Ibelli explained that the workshop was aimed at offering innovative tools for teachers from public high schools to teach STEM subjects and better prepare Nigerian youth for 21st century challenges.
Ibelli underscored the importance of STEM education to Nigeria’s future prosperity and economic competitiveness. According to him, developing tech skills can place students on a track to future careers in computer science, robotics and artificial intelligence, preparing them to solve real life problems with more creativity, critical thinking and effectiveness.
“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to supporting initiatives that promotes STEM education in Nigeria. Technological knowledge is an essential element of the 21st-century economy, and it starts in the classroom. This teacher training workshop will boost teacher confidence and capabilities in the areas of STEM teaching and learning,” Ibelli noted.
One of the teachers who participated in the workshop, Morayo Oyin-Adejobi, described her experience as “impactful.” Oyin-Adejobi noted that she has been inspired on how best to encourage students’ interest and participation in STEM related activities in the classroom.
“Through this workshop, I have learned the various applications of drones in everyday life. I am taking everything I have learned to my students and to encourage them to pursue careers in the STEM fields,” she added.
Following the completion of the training, the U.S. consulate provided all 50 teachers a “Drone in a Box” to take back to their schools and classrooms. This is expected to provide the teachers and their students with an opportunity to put their newly acquired skills to use.
The Global Air Drone Challenge for Teachers is one of the U.S. Mission’s many initiatives that expand people-to-people ties and educational linkages between the United States and Nigeria, engage underserved communities, and strengthen human capital for inclusive Nigerian economic growth and human development.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
