The Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) has called on primary and junior secondary school pupils to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and entrepreneurship, saying the combination will equip them to become innovators, employers and contributors to national development.
Speaking at the 16th Annual Junior Engineers, Technology Scientists (JETS) and Entrepreneurship Competition held on Saturday in Abuja, the Acting Executive Chairperson of FCT-UBEB, Florence Wenegieme, said the board was committed to nurturing a generation of creative thinkers capable of solving real-life challenges.
Represented by the Director of Physical Planning and Project Monitoring, Mansur Sule, Wenegieme stressed that innovation is not determined by age, noting that many young pupils are already demonstrating remarkable creativity.
The competition, themed “Popularising Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Entrepreneurship Education,” featured inventions and business ideas developed by pupils from primary and junior secondary schools across the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Wenegieme, the programme is aimed at changing the mindset of young Nigerians from seeking paid employment to creating businesses that generate wealth and employment opportunities.
She explained that several participants, including children in primary school, were already producing marketable items, proving that entrepreneurship can begin at an early age.
She added that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and enjoys the support of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as part of efforts to prepare young people for leadership in technology and enterprise.
Also speaking, the Director of Science, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Angela Owan-Chukwu, emphasised the importance of introducing innovation and entrepreneurial education early in life.
She said exposing children to STEM from a young age would enable them to develop practical solutions to societal challenges and acquire skills that could help them generate income before leaving school.
Owan-Chukwu also applauded the increasing participation of private schools in the annual competition, noting that the performance of public school pupils demonstrated that they could compete favourably with their counterparts.
Despite the successes recorded, she identified inadequate funding as a major challenge and appealed to government agencies, private organisations and other stakeholders to support the initiative by investing in the ideas of young innovators.
According to her, many of the pupils possess brilliant concepts but lack the financial resources needed to transform their ideas into reality.
In his remarks, the Director of the FCT Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Olobashola Kolawole, represented by Deputy Director of Technology Acquisition and Promotion, Evelyn Eneja, described the competition as more than an academic exercise.
He said science, technology and entrepreneurship remain critical tools for national development, adding that they prepare young people to become innovators, employers and problem solvers.
Similarly, the FCT JETS Coordinator, Idris Ibrahim, said the programme was designed to produce graduates who create jobs instead of depending on government or private sector employment.
The event featured exhibitions of innovative projects by participating schools, while outstanding pupils received awards in recognition of their achievements across different categories.
FCT-UBEB Encourages Pupils to Explore STEM, Entrepreneurship for Future Success
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