Entrepreneurship through Education

Fri, Feb 15, 2013
By publisher
4 MIN READ

Youth

Lagos State government organises science and technology week to educate students on entreprenurship

|  By Augustine Adah  |  Feb. 25, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT

Tunji Eleso
Tunji Eleso

SCIENCE and technology all over the world have been regarded as veritable tools for national development. That was why the Lagos State ministry of science and technology holds the Lagos State Science and Technology week, LASTECH, every year among secondary school students across the state. It is aimed at inculcating in the students the value of science and technology in solving most of the societal needs and problems.  It is an annual event that attracts students from public schools across the entire state.

The 2013 edition of LASTECH was held between February 12 and 15 at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Lagos. The theme of this year programme was  promoting the development of science and technology through entrepreneurship education.  Several people delivered lectures as well as presented awards to students.

One of such persons was Adebiyi Mabadeje, Lagos State commissioner for science and technology. In his welcome address, which was delivered by Nike Animashaun, permanent secretary, in the ministry, Mabadeje highlighted the need for entrepreneur and education to synergize in order to develop the human and capital resources required for building a modern state structure. Entrepreneur, according to Mabadeje, sparks up innovation, employment generation, and economic growth while education is the engine that drives personal, societal and economic growth.

Obafemi Hamzat
Obafemi Hamzat

He further stated that the advancement of any nation or state depends to a larger extent, on its level of science and technology investment. The programme was also packaged to create  an opportunity for entrepreneurs, investors, innovators to  share  business ideas that would benefit the people of Lagos State. “The programme is also designed to create an avenue for entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and researchers to interface, share ideas and foster business ideas that will be of benefit to Lagosians,” Mabadeje said.

Tunji Lardner, an ICT expert expressed delight over the skills exhibited by secondary school students in Lagos State. He urged teachers and government agencies to always invest, as well as initiate policies and programme that would develop the students’ creative ideas. He also advised students to always think and develop ideas that can improve things in the society instead of limiting themselves only to classwork. Lardner cited an example of two students who made history through their innovative ideas.

One of such persons was William Kamkwamba, a 14 year- old student from a remote part of Malawi in Africa. He invented a wind mill that generated light for the people of his community. Consequently, Kamkwamba has been offered a scholarship to study in one of the foreign universities. The second person was Taylor William, a 16 year- old student from the USA, who developed a nuclear reactor a few years ago.

cross section of students
cross section of students

He advised students and youths not to be frustrated by the initial challenges of trying to realise their goal because every success story is normally associated with initial difficulties. The ICT expert lamented the country’s poor attitude to creativity and innovative ideas that are capable of changing the society.

Similarly, Tunji Eleso, a financial expert and director, Co-creation Hub, Nigeria, Lagos, commended some students who have exhibited so many creative works during the programme. He said science and technology are the two things that are being driven by ideas. He therefore encouraged the students to always identify things that are not going on well in their environment and think of what must be done to change it. He described lack of ideas as the greatest limitation  in the lives of human beings.

Obafemi Hamzat, commissioner for works and infrastructures, and the immediate past commissioner for science and technology, represented Babatunde Fashola, governor of Lagos State. The week- ong programme featured exhibition, lectures and quiz competitions.

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