Experts Call for Funding, Promoting Science Olympiads
Experts urged schools to collaborate, provide enough financing, and promote Science Olympiad events for national development.
The experts made the call in Lagos during the Science Olympiad Nigeria 2024 National Tournament.
The 2024 national tournament is a two-day event which commenced on July 24, and had the theme, “New Horizon of Discovery.”
The Science Olympiad is an affiliate programme of the Science Olympiad Inc. with the mission of improving science education and increasing both male and female minority interest in science.
The National Coordinator, Mr Adewunmi Odunnaike, in his welcome address, said that it was necessary to combine efforts among decision-makers, stakeholders, and the general public to change the course of science and technology in the country for a sustainable future.
He said that the Science Olympiad in Nigeria had the capacity and was a great tool in upscaling science and technology education.
“For students and learners, it is an opportunity, avenue and gateway to prepare them for their dream of becoming successful science and technology leaders of tomorrow in this 21st century.
“For schools, teachers and parents, it is a complement to your school or children’s science curriculum.
“For stakeholders, professionals, business leaders and the general public, it is, in the long term, a means to discover and raise science and technology leaders of tomorrow,’’ he said.
According to Odunaike, as leaders of tomorrow, participants in the Olympiad can revolutionise development, and ensure the supply of scientific and technical manpower and resources, thereby increasing production and productivity.
He appreciated the Science Olympiad Inc. of Illinois, USA as well as the partnerships of both the Chemical Society of Nigeria and the Nigeria Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE).
The national coordinator said: “I want to use this medium to implore you students, parents, coaches, schools, organisations, businesses, and institutions to continually team up or partner with us in raising leaders.
“In raising leaders of tomorrow for a sustainable future, the observations and suggestions of our partners guide us; their support fuels our drive, and their partnership in teaming up with us gives us a great voice.”
Engr. Olalekan Olabode, a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE), Lagos Chapter, said the organisers’ idea to catch them young was welcome.
Olabode said that the tournament would be able to pilot the young minds in the right direction of solving problems in the world and bringing their ideas to share with other students.
According to him, at the preliminary stage of the tournament, several schools from Northern Nigeria emerged for the competition.
“Government should be able to make available, transportation, accommodation and comfort for the participating students.
“The teachers have brought up a good idea and taught the students, so there must be a driving force to move them from their location to the competition.
“Imagine if all the schools together could have made it to the venue, it would have been more competitive, and more ideas would have emanated from the competition,’’ he said.
Olabode advocated that a communique be issued after the event, which must be publicised, saying that lack of publicity, funding and the bureaucratic nature of government killed a lot of brilliant ideas.
According to the NIEEE fellow, If the Olympiad is adequately publicised, it can attract investors from the private sector.
The Secretary of Innovation and Strategy, Chemical Society of Nigeria, Mr Okeh Ochulo, said that the Science Olympiad was not just a competition, but an avenue to guide students into critical thinking to solve problems facing humans.
Ochulo said that Science was a continual thing and it was the bedrock of society, adding that if the young ones are not encouraged it becomes difficult.
He said that the outcome of this competition was that children were expected to use their knowledge to solve problems facing the country now.
Six schools participated in the tournament, and they are Ifako International School, Lagos; Giggles College, Lagos; Sky-Field, Akure; Treasure Star International, both the primary and junior secondary schools and the Kings Anchor, Lagos.
NAN
