By Correspondent in Lokoja
The chairperson, Association of Women Engineers of Nigeria Kogi State Chapter, Engr Mrs Joan Oguche,has expressed the resolve of the association toward motivating female students into developing interest in science and technology with particular reference to engineering courses.
Engr. Oguche, who made this in Lokoja recently while addressing during a news conference, said”all is now set by the association, to conduct inter Science Quiz Competition in Kogi State on August 16,to actualise the goal,she said.”
The engineer said:”What we are pursuing is to ensure we encourage Girl-child to pick up Science Subjects at the Secondary School Level with the intention of choosing Engineering as a career,she said.
“I will use my tenure as the current Chairperson of APWEN in Kogi State to stage Campaign that will increase the interest of a Girl-child in engineering profession in Nigeria.
“Toward this end, we have mapped out strategies, such as going to schools, to give Career talks to Girl-child.
“We have also created platforms with parents in various Schools in Kogi State, where we can encourage them to convince their children and wards to develop interest in Science Subjects that could enable them go for Engineering Courses at the higher institution of Learning”.
According to her, the essence of the competition amongst Girl-Child was also to encourage their active participation in Science subjects which would in turn boost their confidence to study Engineering Courses at the Tertiary level.
She said the competition became because experience had shown that the fear of studying Science Subjects had reduced the number of women in engineering profession in Nigeria, adding such exercise would go along in disabusing the minds of the Girl-child that science courses were difficult to study.
Oguche appealed to parents and teachers of Schools like Crowder Memorial College, Bishop Delisle Secondary School, Government Science Secondary School, Muslims community Secondary School, Government Day Secondary School, Government Secondary School Serikin Numa among others to avail their students, particularly the Girl-child, to enable them participate in the competition.
The organiser of the competition who said it would take place at the NIWA Conference Hall, Lokoja, and other public schools within Lokoja,,added that educational materials such as Laptops, Science Books, Math sets, Calculators and other science learning materials “shall be distributed to students that perform well.”
