Selected public and private school students in Kwara State have been trained on the need to ignite their passion in Science, Technology Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) for the greater nation's growth.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the Kwara state STEAM funfest, themed, 'Igniting Children's Passion in STEAM' in Ilorin on Thursday, the organizers of the event said that most jobs of the future will require at least a basic understanding of STEAM.

Executive director of a digital skills initiative, Webfala, Mrs. Nafisat Bakare, who lamented that Nigeria still ranks among nations with little or no investment in STEAM education, said that “for Nigeria to favourably compete in this digital and knowledge-driven global economy, we must prioritize STEAM education and careers”.

“Science is everywhere in the world around us. Technology is continuously expanding into every aspect of our lives. Engineering is the basic design of roads and bridges but also assists in addressing the challenges of changing global weather and environmentally-friendly changes to our homes. Mathematics is in every occupation, every activity we do in our lives.

“By exposing students to STEAM education and giving them opportunities to explore STEAM-related concepts, they will develop a passion for it and hopefully pursue a job in a STEAM field. All around the world, more jobs are created in STEAM fields than in non-STEAM areas, and people who are into STEAM earn more income than others. STEAM is critical to sustained growth and stability of economies around the world. It is clear that most jobs of the future will require at least a basic understanding of STEAM. This is why it is important for school students to have a solid knowledge base in STEAM”.

She also advised the government to integrate STEAM education into the nation's education curriculum, saying that STEAM education at schools is important to ignite the children's interest in pursuing careers in STEAM.

With the current downturn in the national economy, Mrs. Bakare said that there is a need for Nigeria as a country to seek alternative sources to revive the economy, adding that STEAM has been regarded as one of the viable options.

“Successful implementation of STEAM is dependent on various education and economic policies that a specific country adopts. This is why key policies and investments are required to unlock Nigeria's potential”, she said.

The organizers of the event also said that the theme of the programme, 'Igniting Children's Passion in STEAM' aimed to inspire children's love for STEAM and enlighten teachers and parents about possibilities and opportunities in STEAM.

“The Kwara STEAM funfest is an important event for students in Kwara State to discover, explore and imagine. It also offers students the precious opportunity to experience practical STEAM activities that will motivate them to further their pursuit of knowledge in science and technology”, she said.

On past activities of the organization, Mrs. Bakare said that “Over the past few years, through our community engagements, we have been able to organize over 150 trainings and workshops, impacted over 25,000 young people, trained over 1800 educators and engaged more than 150 schools in 12 of the 36 states of Nigeria. We have been able to do all these with collaboration and support from organisations such as the Scratch foundation in the United States, Code Club, The Nigerian Women's Trust Fund (NWTF), The DO School in Germany, the Kwara State Government, the National Library of Nigeria, SAP Africa, Cape Town Science Centre, Raspberry Pi Foundation and the Osun State Government.

“We believe that every African child and young adult should be digitally literate and have digital skills. It is in the light of this that we have put together the maiden Kwara STEAM Funfest that we are holding today”.