The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) on Tuesday, said it would encourage more girls to develop interest in sciences by boosting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education at Secondary Schools in the rural areas.

Mr Abayomi Oguntunde, the Director of Bio-Resource in the ministry made this known in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

According to him, such effort will promote gender mainstreaming in science education.

He further said that Nigeria stood to gain a lot in a knowledge-based economy if the girl-child education is given remarkable encouragement in science.

“To actualise the objective, the ministry recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Organisation for Women in the Science for the Developing World (OWSD).

“The International Women Body is expected to assist in carrying out sensitisation programme on STEM education in rural areas in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.

“The body will develop strategy and implementation plan and share it with the ministry before commencing on the pilot project, “he said.

The director said that the ministry recently presented a cheque N 1million to OWSD for sensitization of girl science education in secondary schools in any two Geo-Political zones likely to be pilot zones

He said FMST was one of the strategic ministries of government saddled with the responsibility of facilitating the development and deployment of Science, Technology and Innovation.

According to him, the move is to enhance the pace of socio-economic development of the country. (NAN)

Update news