The Kwara State government says it is partnering with various associations towards transforming the socio-economic development of the state.

The State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Dr Amina Ahmed, gave this assurance on Thursday while declaring this year's second annual conference of the State branch of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, held at Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin. According to her, the State government will always welcome new ideas and suggestions from the association towards attaining the set goals on Science development.

Need for ICT gadgets

In his keynote address, the guest speaker at the conference, Professor Olasunkanmi Abimbola of the Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education Kwara State College of Education, said government at all levels and the private sector have provided adequate leadership within the limit of their resources to raise awareness and fund for the diffusion and adaption of ICT at all levels of education. Professor Abimbola in his lecture titled "The Role of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education," stressed the need for science teachers to own and use ICT gadgets and ensure that all members of their family are computer literate.

In her address of welcome, the State Chairman of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, the Kwara state branch, Professor Esther Omosewo, expressed dismay over low involvement of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary School Teachers in the association. Professor Omosewo said since the executive came on board in 2010, the activities of the Association have been known throughout the country, pointing out that the association had featured and participated at all National Conferences held across the country.

She also commended students from selected various schools in the state, that have performed excellently in competitions organized at the National conference, in which according to her, Kwara State qualified to represent the country in India and Ukraine but could not go as a result of insurgency in the country.

The don, however, acknowledged the effort of local organising committee for the successful hosting of this year’s conference and thanked the provost of the college for a job well done in hosting them.

The provost of the College, Dr Isiaka Opobiyi said the theme of this year's conference which is "the role of ICT in STAN Education" is well chosen, pointing out that everything in this world is ICT driven, especially in the Area of Education where Teachers need to acquire ICT skills to adequately impact knowledge with ease.