By Julius Agadaga, Yenagoa
The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN, Bayelsa State Chapter, has called for increased investment in STEM education as a pathway to closing the gender gap in engineering and technology.
The call was made during APWEN Bayelsa’s public lecture, exhibition, and award ceremony held in Yenagoa. The event was also used to celebrate a female engineering icon, Prof. Ongoebi Etebu in the state.
Chairman of APWEN Bayelsa, Engr. (Dr) Amalate Ann-Jonathan Obuebite, said the gathering was to honour women who have broken barriers in engineering.
“We are here to celebrate a woman, a leader, an icon, a mother who has shown us the way. She is first of so many kinds. As female engineers who are following her footsteps, we have to celebrate and honour engineering excellence in our field and our gender,” she said.
She noted that the event featured a public lecture on cyber security, an exhibition, and an award ceremony. It also coincided with a national “Town and Gown” programme of APWEN, which brought together industry, government, and the private sector with academia.
Dr. Obuebite said one of APWEN’s key mandates is to encourage girls and women to study engineering.and urged parents, sponsors, and stakeholders to support STEM education.
“Innovation is the order of the day. We are already in an era where cars are being driven simply by technology and we don’t want to be left behind in Bayelsa or in Nigeria. STEM is the way forward Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. That is the gospel APWEN preaches. Please key in, encourage us, support us, and help Nigerian technology and engineering society to thrive,” she said.
Speaking on a new book on Chemistry authored under her leadership, Dr. Obuebite said it was inspired by her outreach to schools across Bayelsa.
She explained that the book breaks down complex chemistry concepts in simple terms for secondary school students, adding that it’s part of APWEN Bayelsa’s strategy to take STEM sensitization beyond Yenagoa to villages and local government areas in the state.
Meanwhile, a former Commissioner of Education and the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency, Dr. Jonathan Obuebite, has called on parents and stakeholders to encourage more girls to take up careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM.
Dr. Obuebite who is the husband of the APWEN Chairman in Bayelsa State thanked Governor Douye Diri for supporting APWEN Bayelsa’s activities, noting that the Governor had directed assistance for the association.
He also acknowledged the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Gloria Diri, “for being a pillar of support to my wife.”
He urged Bayelsans and parents across the state to give the girl-child more opportunities in STEM fields.
On the newly launched chemistry book authored by his wife, Dr. Obuebite said it was designed to simplify science for secondary school students.
“I am happy that the promise she made has been fulfilled. Today we are launching that book. I have bought some copies and I am going to send them to all the secondary schools in my federal constituency.
