Abuja: The Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) has announced its initiative to promote science and technology education within basic schools, aiming to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among learners. This announcement was made during the 15th Edition of the Annual Junior Engineers, Technicians, Scientists (JETS) Entrepreneurship and Inter-Area Council quiz competition held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the competition, organized for primary and junior secondary schools in the FCT, focused on the theme ‘The Popularisation of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Entrepreneurship’. Mr. Alhassan Sule, the Acting Executive Chairman of the board, highlighted that the competition’s goal is to cultivate a generation of entrepreneurs from primary and secondary school students. Represented by the Director of Special Needs and Nomadic Education, Malam Bashir Abubakar, Sule emphasized the importance of training school children to become job cre
ators rather than job seekers.
Sule also mentioned that this initiative would be inclusive, extending to children with special needs and those in nomadic schools. Mrs. Florence Wenegieme, Director of Science, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, explained the competition’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’. She noted that the competition, which began two weeks ago across the six area councils, would see its winners represent the FCT in an interstate competition. Wenegieme expressed confidence in the FCT’s potential to succeed in the competition.
Furthermore, she highlighted the competition’s role in boosting students’ confidence and overcoming their fear of science and mathematics. This encouragement aims to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, medicine, and other STEM fields. The JETS competition is an annual event designed to raise awareness and motivate students to engage with science and technology subjects by providing practical and theoretical opportuni
ties to showcase their talents.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that students from Gwagwalada Area Council achieved the overall best performance with 32 points, followed by students from Abuja Municipal Area Council and Bwari Council with 24 and 20 points, respectively. Ugochukwu Soludo, a student from Junior Secondary School, Phase III, Gwagwalada, expressed his excitement at being among the top performers. He encouraged fellow students to study consistently, emphasizing that dedication and self-belief are crucial for success in science-based competitions.
The event also featured an exhibition of science, technical, and entrepreneurial projects by students from participating schools.