The Federal Government and its stakeholders have called for the sustainability of the learning of robotic technology in institutions across the country.
They made the call in Abuja on Friday, at the 2021/2022 First Lego League Championship in Robotic with the theme” Cargo Connect”.
The First Lego League Championship is in collaboration with the Coderina Education Technology and Foundation.
The Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said there was a need to begin to incorporate the application of technology in the institutions and as well sustain its learning.
Nwajiuba, represented by Mr Ejeh Usman, Federal Evaluation and Quality Assurance Services (FEQAS), said schools like Queens College Yaba, Lagos, FSTC Orozo and other private schools had distinguished themselves to represent the country at the international level.
According to him, robotic technology will provide solutions and it is an indication of a better future for Nigeria as we make conscious efforts to transform education.
He said that the country is hungry for technology and there was the need to inculcate the senses in technology and robotics into the children.
“The maiden edition of this championship was very engaging, exciting and interactive and at the end of the championship, both winners and losers went home happy that they had the opportunity to interact and compete.
“The experiences of 2019 still linger and the spirit is being reinvigorated for the 2022 championship.
“The year’s championship tagged “Cargo Connect” is aimed among other things at providing digital solutions to the movement handling of cargo from the manufacturer to the final destinations,” he said.
He added that some participating teams that emerged from the championship in 2021 had represented the country at international championships with outstanding performance.
He, therefore, enjoined the participating teams to compete with the spirit of sportsmanship while building up self-confidence, knowledge and career in project-based learning.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Gende, said that the theme was aimed at teaching children about how cargo is transported from the manufacturer, sorted for the right destinations, and delivered to the right parties.
Gende, who was represented by the Director of Technology, Science and Education in the Ministry, Mrs Elizabeth Adedigba commended the foundation for the laudable initiative in providing unparalleled opportunity to promote and develop robotic technology in schools.
“I am aware that Coderina Education Technology and Foundation has been so much committed to the training of Nigerian students and teachers across the six geo-political zones in the country.
“In a developing nation like Nigeria, we need to develop a strategy to harvest all the technological potentials from our children if we must grow technologically to meet up with challenging needs of our people.
Also, Founder, Coderina Education Technology and Foundation, Mr Olajide Ajayi, said the foundation which was established in 2014 was set to empower the next generation of students to become critical thinkers a d problem solvers.
Ajayi said that the initiative would transform the knowledge landscape in the education sector of the country.
In the same vein, Mrs Tokunbo Yakubu-Oyinloye, Chairperson Principals of Federal Unity Colleges (FUCS), said students needed to learn and develop the skills needed to fit into new careers.
Yakubu-Oyinloye said the competition would help prepare the students for the future and as well solve problems and provide solutions that are breaking new frontiers.
Miss Emmanuella Nwokeukwu, one of the students commended the initiative, saying that the acquired knowledge through robotics had helped in finding new ground to issues of life.
Also, Miss Mariam Taiwo, a student of Queens College, Lagos, said the competition had opened her eyes to create a machine that would help provide solutions to transportation challenges in the country. (NAN)
