By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos – A robotics expert, Emem Ntat, on Tuesday commended the technological advancement initiatives of the Lagos State Government, urging it to include Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) studies in school’s curriculum.
Ntat, Business Development Manager of Arc Light Foundation, gave the commendation and advice while reviewing the World Robot Olympiad, Nigeria with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Two schools from Lagos State, Lagos State Model College Meiran and Araromi Ilogbo Junior Secondary, Oke Afo, emerged champions at the competition held at the School Hall of the British International School, Lekki in Lagos.
NAN reports that Arc Light Foundation collaborated with the British International School to stage the global science competition on July 15.
Arc light Foundation is the foremost robot developer in Nigeria, a company that also sponsors the development of science.
The foundation is the exclusive partner of LEGO in Nigeria and LEGO Education in West Africa and the organisers of the World Robots Olympiad, an annual event that draws participants from across the world.
LEGO Education organises a yearly challenge for the kids on how they can solve some problems on their own using robots made from LEGO plastic models.
By virtue of their performance at the keenly contested competition which tasked their creative intellect, the winners of the senior and junior categories will represent Nigeria at the World Robot Olympiad in Costa Rica later in the year.
The theme of this year’s competition is “Robots for Sustainability’’.
Ntat told the NAN that Lagos State remained the trail blazers in its pursuit of technological advancement and support for the study of robotic sciences in public schools.
“I want to commend the Lagos State Government’s efforts in toward technological advancement in the country; it remains a trail blazer.
“Lagos is doing fantastically well in the promotion of robotic science, it is well ahead of other states in the country. The government is thinking ahead on how technology can be helpful.
“The state has the highest number of representatives in all the robotic competition and they did not shy away in their responsibilities.
“If Lagos State Government can be so helpful, other states should also borrow leaf, private organisation inclusive,’’ she said.
Ntat said that government needed to go a step further by including robotic studies in the school’s curriculum, a move which, she said, would be helpful.
“We want government to go a step further by including robotic studies in the school’s curriculum as this will be helpful.
“We need to train our kids right from the nursery to the undergraduate level, there are curriculums for this. Inclusion of robotic studies will make the students to have complete education.
“Nigerian students need to be at par with their counterparts in other parts of the world. We need to align with the global demands and needs.
“Nigeria is missing a lot because we have yet to fully embrace the technology as the mainstay of economic development,’’ she said.
