EdoBEST: Promoting STEM among girls as a development strategy

For 12-year-old Esther, a Junior Secondary School 2 student of St. Maria Goretti Girls College, the opportunity to attend an EdoBEST school is a step in the right direction to her career ambition of becoming a cranial surgeon.
While this might seem impressive, a lot of girls do not have access to quality basic education as a foundation for a successful future. For those who do have the access to quality education, not a lot of girls eventually pick up an interest in the sciences.
However, for Eromosele Dorathy, an Integrated Science teacher at St Maria Goretti, an all-girls secondary school, this is where she steps in as a teacher. She believes that it is up to teachers to stimulate the interest of the girl child in science and technology.
“As a teacher, I do my best in encouraging my students to take an interest in science. The world is gradually moving to STEM and needs more female participation” said Mrs Eromosele while teaching science.
In Nigeria and indeed the world, more girls are less likely to continue with post-primary education while an even lesser degree will venture into the sciences. This can be attributed to girls having less access to quality education.
Restating the commitment of the Edo State Government to the education of girls, the Executive Chairman Edo SUBEB, Mrs Ozavize E. Salami on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child noted that, “over 140,000 girls are registered and receive learning and empowerment at our 1,330 state-owned junior secondary and primary schools across Edo State.
It is important to note that in Edo state, 49% of pupils in state-owned junior secondary and primary schools are girls. Mrs Salami further pointed out that the state government is fully invested in prioritising girl child education and the introduction of girls to various academic fields.
“We truly believe in the power of our girls to become! We re-commit to invest in a future that believes in their agency, their leadership, and their true potential,” Mrs. Salami noted.
According to UNESCO, 129 million girls worldwide are out of school, including 32 million of primary school age, as less than half of countries have achieved gender parity in basic education.
The Edo state government launched the EdoBEST programme not only to provide access to quality basic education but also to bridge the gap in learning at the basic education level. Over 350,000 children currently receive the life-changing education that EdoBEST offers.