By John Ikani
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) has reiterated its commitment to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, (STEM) education, as part of its corporate strategy to equip Nigerians with the skills required for value-adding activities in the petroleum industry.
The Board’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Wabote, made the reaffirmation while presenting prizes to winners of the NTA Yenagoa Science Quiz Competition’s fifth and sixth editions, which were sponsored by the board.
Engr. Wabote who was represented by Mr. Esueme Dan Kikile, the Manager of Corporate Corporations, stated that encouraging young Nigerians to develop an interest in science subjects is vital.
While noting that the competition aligns with NCDMB’s mandate to develop local capacities in the oil and gas industry, the NCDMB boss expressed satisfaction with the remarkable improvement in the competition’s standards and the participating schools, since it began in 2012/13.
Engr. Wabote assured the audience of the Board’s continued sponsorship of the program and commended the NTA management, represented by Mrs. Dauju Whyte, and the Quiz Coordinator, Mr. Richman Okpobo, for their quality performance in their respective roles.
He also highlighted other critical contributions made by the NCDMB towards education development in Bayelsa State, particularly, in promoting literacy in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
According to him, the Board established well-resourced ICT Centres at Government Technical College, Okaka, Yenagoa, and at Nembe National Grammar School, (NNGS) in Nembe Local Government Area.
Other ICT Centres are at; Government Secondary School, (GSS) Opokuma, in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area; Community Secondary School, (CSS) Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area, and Government Secondary School, (GSS) Okpoama.
The centres are equipped with computers, projectors, printers, and photocopiers, and provided with computer instructors and Internet facilities.
Each Centre has a power generating set, with a backup inverter to ensure stable power supply.
NCDMB also procured and distributed 18,000 copies of Mathematics and computer textbooks to 188 secondary schools within the State.
The Bayelsa State Post-Primary Schools Board, (PPSB) also received 32 desktop computers, 752 computer textbooks and 752 computer workbooks donated by the Board.
In the results announced for the Science Quiz Competition of 2020/21, Faith Comprehensive Secondary School, Yenagoa, won the first prize, while Ijaw National Academy, Kaiama, had second place. In the third position was, Belary School, also in Yenagoa.
For 2021/22, Belary School won the first position, followed by Milky Way Academy, Yenagoa, while Faith Comprehensive Secondary School had third position. For prizes, the contestants and schools received trophies, laptops, and three-in-one printers-scanners.
