Education
SOME experts have reiterated the need for special mentorship for female students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field so as to be in line with the needs of relevant industries.
The female STEM experts made this call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
Dr Felicia Araoye, the Coordinator, CyberAge Development Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), said that mentorship plays a key role in providing access to female students who aspire to work in STEM related field.
Araoye said that mentorship would give female students in STEM an opportunity to discuss their challenges with their mentors and the areas they need help to continue learning and growing.
“As an NGO, we discover that matching girls with mentors opens up their minds and their imaginations, especially mentors with both local and global experience.
“Through mentorship, we can see rapid development in them, by just seeing a woman out there doing great things, that is inspiring.
“We also see that mentorship helps in facilitating job opportunities for female STEM students who stand out, “she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Opeyemi Faniran, a computer technologist, reiterated the need for a female focused curriculum in STEM related field due to complexity of the field.
Faniran called on government at all levels, school boards and ministries of education to incorporate education policies that would actively encourage girls to focus on STEM.
Mrs Bola Akintokun, the Chief Executive Officer, Digitech Innovation Hub, called on government, corporate organisations and NGOs to set up scholarships dedicated to female college or university students pursuing STEM, or other technology-related studies and careers.
Akintokun said that the initiative would raise passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in young girls in Nigeria.(NAN)
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Tags: Bola Akintokun CyberAge Development Initiative Felicia Araoye Opeyemi Faniran Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
