The Senate on Tuesday passed the country’s pioneer Federal Tombia STEAM Polytechnic bill, into law.
STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics. This model of education is the first in the annals of tertiary education in the country and will be situated in Tombia, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. The bill was sponsored by Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo, Member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency.
Prior to its passage by the Senate , the House of Representatives had given its nod to the proposed legislation to become law. With the passage by both chambers of the National Assembly, the law now awaits assent by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sponsor of the bill, Farah Dagogo, had during debate on the general principles of the bill pointed out that the imperatives of STEAM education could not be under estimated, because it equips students with competencies that will enable them to overcome personal challenges, pursue careers in technical fields such as software engineering or artificial intelligence, find creative solutions to difficult problems, and understand how the world works.
” The idea of STEAM brings together five major disciplines that create an inclusive inter connectivity in learning environment and this encourages active participation and collaboration of all in problem solving. Thus, the Federal STEAM Polytechnic Tombia , Rivers State aims to offer a holistic approach for students to simultaneously exercise from both left and right sides of their brain in creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills that will galvanise them to become champions of the new age, as they would need to do in the 21st century working environment.
” The Institution would promote technical and vocational education and training, technology transfer and skills development to enhance the socio- economic development of Nigeria. Indeed, all of us here are aware of the fact that polytechnic education plays a vital role in human resource development of a country by creating skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the quality of life of our people. A ride through the Bill clearly elucidates these imperatives, especially from the Object, ” he explained.
