NGO Trains 60 ICT Educators on E-STEM, Robotics Education in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin 

A non-governmental organisation, Webfala Digital Skills for all Initiative (WDSFaI), has trained 60 ICT-inclined educators from various schools in Kwara on E-STEM (Environment, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and robotics education.

The training was organised to expose the participants to practical insights into E-STEM and robotics education.

Speaking at the event in Ilorin, the organisation’s executive director, Mrs. Bakare Nafisat, said the training programme was targeted at educators with limited knowledge of E-STEM and robotics education.

She said it was also designed to provide them with the basic technical and practical knowledge required to integrate E-STEM and robotics into their classroom teaching.

Bakare explained that after the training, the teachers are expected to share the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired with their students.  

As part of efforts to support the growth of robotics education in Kwara, her organisation selected 17 schools in Kwara that would be presented with free robotic kits accompanied by specialised training sessions for their students at no cost.

It also planned robotics training for children between nine and 14, supported by Pratt and Whitney and North American Association for Environmental Education. 

Since its establishment in 2028, the NGO has trained thousands of teachers, students and women in environment, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (E-STEM) to prepare them for future opportunities.

In his remarks, a robotics specialist, Mr. Michael Joseph, stressed the need to introduce robotics into STEM education. He said that technology skills like coding and robotics have the power to change the world. He added that it was important to instil curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills in young students that will prepare them for the future of work.