Laureate College revives interest in science education

The one-day event, which was held in the school hall, had in attendance the first female civil engineer in Nigeria, who is also the proprietress of the college, Dr Olatokunbo Somolu, as well as teachers and pupils from Anne Marie Children School, Ajao-Estate, Ladybird Nursery and Primary School, Gbagada, Kiddies’ Kingdom Private School, Aviation Estate, among others.

Pupils from participating schools showcased their science projects, with the JETS Club of Laureates College displaying their group project, a clap-activated switch alarm. The device, when installed, can detect motion or movement of an intruder within its location.
While displaying the project, a J.S 3 student who is also a member of the club, Angela Oluwa Adegbola, said a 9v transistor battery is used as a voltage for the circuit. According to her, the device has a buzzer that triggers alert whenever an intruder gets close to the location where it is installed. Aside the clap-activated device, Miss Adegboga, said the club also produced a dry cell mobile charger, solar powered light emitting diode, infra-red censor, among other amazing projects.
“We brainstorm on what could be done to make the society better,” she remarked. “As citizens of Nigeria, we have people that can make us proud in the science world but they need to be encouraged. I will advise the government to establish a special science school for talented people, who have proven ability in sciences, so that they can be properly guided to invent things that could change the world. I believe that Nigeria cannot only be an importing country; we can also be an exporting country when we start producing goods for other countries.”
Dr Somolu, in an interview with Education Review, described sciences as the bedrock of any developing or developed society. She expressed concern on the declining interest in the study of core science subjects by students in the country, especially in public schools. However, she admitted that dearth of facilities in public schools could be a great hindrance but noted that private schools offer highly competitive education that would expose children to all areas of learning.
When our reporter asked her why she strayed into the lion’s den by studying engineering at a time when it was mostly seen as a man’s career, she smiled gently and said: “I just love the sciences. Mathematics was my best subject and Physics too. I felt comfortable with science subjects. Therefore, it was just natural for me to do something related to science. I didn’t want to do Pure Mathematics or Pure Physics and having to teach. I wanted to apply it. That was why I went to study Engineering. At that time, my father was also a civil engineer. Maybe, that motivated me to go into it,” she said.
Also speaking, the Principal of the college, Mr. Ibrahim Sadiq, identified social media and addiction to mobile phones as huge distraction to students. According to him, today’s technological tools constitute serious threat to effective learning in schools.
“It is a good development if you look at it broadly but on the other way round, most children rarely sleep in their rooms, even when parents believe they had already slept. They spend their time on the phone and on the social media. The worst part of it is that they watch indecent movies on the Internet with these high-tech phones,” he said. He said most students often times choose subjects that would take less of their time, to allow them freedom to roam wild in their pursuit of harmful pleasure.  Sciences require more time and concentration for one to excel, he added.
“We cannot overlook economic problem. Parents are finding it difficult paying high tuition fees for their children studying science-related courses. When such parents have children that are good at sciences, they will plainly tell you that they cannot afford the high fees required,” he explained.
He said Laureates College would continue to cultivate students’ interest in sciences and other subjects but urged parents to reciprocate the gesture by monitoring what their children watch on the television and their mobile phones.