Vice-Chancellor Calls For Increased Funding for STEM Education

Professor Ibiyinka Fuwape, Vice-Chancellor of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Delta State, has called on the government to increase funding for education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

She emphasised that adequate investment in STEM education would make these fields more appealing to students and foster national development.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja, Fuwape expressed concern about the lack of facilities, equipment, and reagents in laboratories across schools in Nigeria.

She noted that the absence of hands-on practical experience was discouraging students from pursuing STEM careers. Practical is the bedrock of learning STEM subjects and careers, yet there are students entering universities to study STEM courses who have never done practicals.

Fuwape stressed the importance of creating an enabling environment, including the provision of well-equipped laboratories and competent STEM teachers.

“We need competent STEM teachers and equipped laboratories to make STEM careers attractive.

“Government has to create an enabling environment and earmark more money to education because many of the laboratories do not have equipment.

“With less equipment for practical, the students can hardly learn and you cannot make teaching subjects interesting.

“Government should deliberately fund education properly, especially the STEM area; let us have adequate and well-equipped laboratories.

“This is how we can development as a nation. You will see children coming up with innovations but the laboratories are empty, while some equipment are obsolete,” she said.

Highlighting the migration of skilled STEM teachers, Fuwape advocated for additional incentives, such as extra payments and awards, to retain professionals in the field.

She urged the government to allocate appropriate funding for STEM, ensure gender-inclusive policies, and foster an environment where both male and female students can thrive.

“The allocation in the budget for education to STEM should be appropriate, while government has to provide a suitable climate for both genders to thrive.

“Everybody’s competence is needed for the development of the country,’’ she added.

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In light of International Women’s Day, Fuwape also encouraged young girls to pursue STEM careers despite societal challenges.

She pointed out the availability of international grants and scholarships aimed at supporting women in STEM, sharing how such funding had supported her education when her family faced financial difficulties.

To support STEM education, Fuwape revealed plans by Michael and Cecilia Ibru University to provide professional development for secondary school teachers in the community.

“I am thinking of bringing in teachers during the holidays when I can access a grant, to bring in teachers from the secondary schools from the community into our laboratory and retool them.

“We want to teach them again so that they will be abreast of new happenings in their subjects and be able to teach their students in the new school year,’’ she said.

Additionally, she called on other institutions to prioritise activities that promote STEM education, including public lectures and special events such as matriculation and convocation ceremonies that focus on STEM, particularly those led by women.

Fuwape concluded that targeted efforts and increased funding for STEM would lead to innovation, improved education outcomes, and national growth.

 

 

 

 

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