Agbami parties spent over 2.5 billion on education infrastructure, committed to deliver quality education across Africa.
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Tuesday, November 20,2018
As part of its Commitment in Improving the Standard of Education in Nigerian Secondary Schools in the country. Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited (a chevron company), and the parties in the Agbami field- Famfa Oil Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Equinor Nigeria Limited and Petroleo Brasuleiro Nigeria Limited, in partnership with Lagos Business School organized this year Symposium centered on improve the teaching of STEM education across secondary schools in the nation using the 21ist century current trends and tools best practiced.
This year’s Symposium mark the 3rd edition of the success of the competition from when it started till date because of the support from the Federal Ministry of Education and also the Lagos State Government Ministry of Education, and other Joint Venture Partners.
The programme which accommodates over one hundred secondary schools across the Nation coming together to proffer solutions on our to improve the STEM education in Nigeria through seminars and workshop made available to the teachers from various schools and states in the country held in Lagos business school.
Speaking at the STEM and Exhibition Symposium, Mr. Richard Kennedy, Director, Star Deep Waters Petroleum Limited, said the Agbami parties believe that the most rewarding investment is the investment in people, because the greatest assets of a nation are its people. This is the underlying investment behind our social investment in the thematic focus areas of health, education and economic development.
According to him, this year’s theme’’ Teaching STEM in the 2ist Century: Current Trends, International Best Practices and cross Action: we believe this programme will identify issues in Nigeria’s STEM education reforms and provide strategies to ensure that STEM education is elevated to a national priority, adding that an improved learning approaches in STEM education, including ways to strengthen the adaption of these new trends to the educational sector are initiated.
To succeed in his new information-based and technology –driven global society, Nigerian youths need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels far exceeding what was considered in the past he said.
He further revealed that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are the undeniable some of the key subject to Know because of the need for Nigeria to evolve the scientific and technological innovations needed to face the challenges of globalization and build an evolving knowledge-based economy.
He mentioned that since 2008 the parties have invested over NGN8.4 billion on Agbami Medical and Engineering Scholarship ( AMEPS) a merit based program, producing an impressive 456 first class graduate since inception , and over 16500 scholarship have been awarded across different state in Nigeria.
The parties also have spent N2.5 billion on education infrastructure, built, furnished and equipped 34, science laboratories, and 9 Hybrid libraries across the nation.
Mr. Kennedy Commend the effort of Lagos Business School (LBS) in collaborating with the Agbami parties to organize this symposium. We cherish our partnership with LBS, because, together, we are helping to drive national development through strategic human capital development he said.
The Academic Director, Lagos Business School, on her part mentioned that the role of LBS in the society is to create, develop and deliver responsible leaders for Nigeria and Africa through the STEM education.
According to her we gather teachers and student from various secondary school across the nation to educate them on the importance of STEM education in the 21st century and also to talk about the important of science, technology, mathematics and engineering which is a must in academic discipline and life’s in general.
She noted that the reason why STEM is important for student and teachers which include science, technology, mathematics and engineering is because they are the foundational subject to research and development in the world today.
We need to get the minds of teachers, student prepared by doing the grassroots work, creating minds and developing future scientist and CEO like Steven Jobs Founder of Apple phones and Mark Zeurberg Founder of Face book for generations to come adding that this can only be done through science she said.
She urges Federal Government and other private sectors to invest and give more into science in other solve social economic challenges facing Nigeria at large.
Keynote Speaker Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, and Climate Innovation Centre, who was invited to speak on achieving quality education through SDGs. revealed that first as Nigerians we must believe in ourselves which the basic problem affecting us today.
We must not always be hard on ourselves, government and stakeholders must support revolutions same way it is being done globally.
Public and private sectors must come together to impact on teachers. Adding that in Nigeria teachers is the list in government budget; less regarded which has led to the failure of education in the nation he said
We must embrace our teachers, because the strength of good student lies on its teacher, therefore government must cultivate the attitude of cherishing, believing our teachers and creating several workshops for improvement which is the better way to develop STEM in the country.
Some of the Agbami Scholars speaks on the benefit of the scholarship.
Vincent Ajilo, First- class graduate of the university of Ibadan Nigeria, highlighted the benefit of the Agbami scholarship, According to him , ‘ I was fortunate to receive the Agbami Medical and Engineering professional scholarship in 2009, when I was in 200 level at the university of Ibadan, studying petroleum Engineering. This changed my financial status and helped me to focus and develop myself to become the world champion I dreamt of’’’.
The benefit of the scholarship was enormous. Personally, it removed financial stress and I could focus on my studies and plan my spending within a good budget. It help me to sustain my First- class Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) throughout my under graduate studies at the university of Ibadan.
Nwanji Nwachukwu Chukwudebe, A First- class graduate , According to him “ Being a beneficiary of the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship Award was exhilarating for me and my family as I was not bothered about my school fees, books and other expenses.
The annual scholarship grant was sufficient to carter for my basic needs, so that my parents just deal with the minor needs and other expenses.
“I am glad my help came from the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship. This motivated me to get 4.5 from my 200 level till final year in my university.