From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State is today Friday, March 15 hosting the unveiling ceremony of the 500 million OCHIE Igbo Stem Project functional Committees that will lead Ndigbo into another emergent program that has the potentials to unlock the future of Igboland.
Addressing a press conference in Awka yesterday, Chinedum Benedict Okoro, Executive Director, OCHIE Igbo STEM School, said the event with the theme : “500 Million OCHIE Igbo STEM Project: Securing today, defining tomorrow” will draw a reasonable number of Igbo Sons and Daughters who will assemble for the unveiling of a functional OCHIE Igbo STEM Project Committees comprising of OCHIE Igbo STEM Project Coordination Committee, OCHIE Igbo STEM Curriculum Development Committee and OCHIE Igbo STEM Igbo Language Translation Committee.
Okoro flanked by the Ag. National Secretary, Ifeanyi Ogunoegbunam and the UNIZIK Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu said the inauguration ceremony is to officially commission the stated Committees to settle down and develop an Igbo science curriculum that will stand the test of time.
He disclosed that the OCHIE Igbo STEM Project was conceived in 2021 while the UNIZIK Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Esimone keyed into the project immediately the university was approached for collaboration.
He said the OCHIE Igbo STEM Project was born of the conscious desire to unbundle the clog, barrier and harrowing experiences imposed on native speakers of Igbo language who find it difficult coping with English language.
“The project is a benign search to harness the gains associated with teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics using the mother tongue. Unarguably, this is the framework that the Asian Tigers like Japan, Indian, China, Korean leveraged on to earn their deserved place in the world of science, innovation and information technology.
“It is not for fun that the Confucius boldly stated that; ‘if you want to harvest for a year plant rice, for a decade plant trees and for a life time educate the children.’
“Great minds have always argued that the security and future of every society lies with the education of the children. Being intentional about internalizing the culture, values and tradition of a people and marrying same with science, technology, engineering and mathematics is the SECRET of the yellow man. It is for this reason that a Japanese adage holds that ‘better than a thousand years of diligent study is a day with a Master’.
“This underscores a society that was founded in tutelage and grooming and through intentional supervision with expected outcomes. This process of knowledge transfer and the attendant supervision arms the child with relevant and requisite tools to delve into the realm of science, technology, engineering and mathematics with unassuming confidence”.
“The 500 million OCHIE Igbo STEM Project is in phases;The First Phase, deals with the development of a curriculum for STEM that will suit the Igbo environment. The Second Phase deals with the transliteration of the developed STEM curriculum wherein Igbo will be the language of instruction and evaluation.
The Third Phase deals with opening up miniature Silicone Valley at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka for the enrolment of kids from all over the world.”
He said the various functional committees are composed of capable hands that have the skills and training to ensure the success of the project.
He expressed immense gratitude to the UNIZIK Vice Chancellor, Prof. Esimone for his passion and commitment to the project and to Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Administration and also, Prince Arthur Eze (Ozoigbondu) who accepted to be the Chairman of the event.
He said Prof. Chinedu Nebo, former Vice Chancellor University of Nigeria, Nsukka and current Vice Chancellor, University on the Niger, Umunya, will deliver the keynote address on ‘The Potentials of mainstreaming Igbo as the Language of Instruction and Evaluation for STEM in Igboland while Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President General Ohanaeze Ndigbo will be duly represented by Prof. Fred Eze, President Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State.
“We cannot afford to ignore our foreign partners, STEMPedia and Agilo Research India that have been of immense assistance so far.As we begin this difficult and daunting journey, we call on all Igbo Sons and Daughters to rally round the OCHIE Igbo STEM Project for the future which it holds,” he said.