Effurun: Ozolua Grammar School, Ologbo in Edo, has emerged winner of a 16-week STEM training programme on robotics, defeating eight other secondary schools at the grand finale held in Effurun, Delta. The programme, with the theme: ‘Robotics for a Sustainable and Inclusive Skilled Economy’, was organised for selected schools across Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was facilitated by Contego Servo, Odyssey Educational Foundation, and Phoenix Girls Tech Foundation, and sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). Dr. Elizabeth Eterigho, Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Girls and Tech Foundation, emphasised that robotics was not just a learning tool but a gateway to innovation and critical thinking, essential for the 21st-century workforce. The training aimed to empower students with hands-on experience in robotics, while encouraging creativity and technical problem-solving.
Eterigho highlighted the journey of the programme, stating that over the past four months, teachers and students from various secondary schools have come together to learn the fundamentals of robotics, programming, and applied STEM. The projects and prototypes showcased were expressions of creativity, teamwork, and determination that reflect the power of STEM education in shaping lives and societies. She noted that the programme had demonstrated that young people, when given the opportunity, can dream, design, and deliver solutions that matter.
She commended the sole-sponsor of the programme, NCDMB, for laying the foundation for an economy that values skills, sustainability, and inclusiveness. Representatives of the NCDMB, Mr. Weyinmi Ebiyon, commended the resource persons and trainers, urging the trainees to put into proper use the knowledge acquired from the training. Mrs. Rose Ezewu, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Delta, commended the NCDMB and the facilitators for organizing the training and assured that the state government would support the programme to elevate students’ knowledge in STEM robotic education.
The competition saw Iwere Secondary School, Koko in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta, take second place, while Nana Model College, Warri, in Warri South Local Government Area secured third. Other participating schools included Community Secondary School, Kalio-Ama Okrika and Community Secondary School, Rumuoro Ogbakiri Emuoha, both in Rivers, as well as Ajoki Secondary School, Ajoki, in Edo, and several others.
Mr. Okoh Isaac, a teacher from Ozolua Grammar School, Ologbo, expressed gratitude for the victory and commended the organisers and sponsors of the programme. He urged the government to invest more in technology to further enhance educational opportunities.