Young girls undergo STEM training for career development

TechPower, a research and intervention project of the Danne Institute for Research aimed at bridging the gender digital divide ‘one girl at a time’ empowers young secondary school girls with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) practical training.

The program was held on July 21, 2023, with participants from public secondary school – Iwerekun Community Junior High School, Lakowe, Lagos, in collaboration with Ixzdore Labs to provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to participate fully as creators, inventors, and problem solvers of tomorrow.

According to the institute, through concrete projects, the concepts of physics, electronics, design and engineering, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus are introduced in a practical and fun-filled way

The first edition of the project started with JS1 students in Iwerekun Community Junior High School, Lakowe Lagos. MTN Foundation equipped the ICT Lab in the School and provided the basic infrastructure that enabled us to begin this project.

“We expect that some of our participants will choose science subjects in SS1 and pursue careers in STEM at university; learn to lead themselves, manage their time and find their voice in society.”

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“At the end of the beginner’s course, we organised an Innovators Challenge where four groups of girls competed for prizes. The event was sponsored by FSDH and held at the School of Science & Technology of PAU,” the institute said.

The Tech space in Nigeria is growing (there are a few tech companies with a market value of US$1 billion). Yet few girls are interested in the sector and in STEM in general.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 22 percent of engineering and technology university graduates are women.

Also, these secondary school girls are mentored by young female professionals in the STEM space.