The emergence of new technology has considerably changed the world, transforming the way people live, work, and carry out their daily activities. These innovations, for example internet, have shaped and altered the day-to-day activities of global communities and transformed the world into a global village by enhancing interconnectedness at the speed of light.
With the view to promote the importance of science in the daily lives of global people, create a shared understanding and appreciation of its significance and to actively engage the public in conversations on new scientific issues, every year on November 10, the world observes World Science Day for Peace and Development.
This year’s World Science Day was marked under the theme “Global Science for Global Wellbeing”.
In connection with this, Ethiopia also marked the Day with various events. The Ministry of Education, joining hands with numerous stakeholders, staged an exhibition and a competition.
The 9th National Students and Teachers Creative Works Competition and Exhibition that was carried out from November 12-15, 2024 at the premises of the Addis Ababa Science and Technology was a platform where various innovative works were exhibited and competition for students and teachers on innovative works carried out.
Speaking on the occasion Chief Executive Officer of Teacher and Educational Leaders Development at the Ministry of Education Muluken Nigatu (PhD) stated that the teachers’ and students’ creative works exhibition and competition is a platform that enables students and teachers with exceptional creative skills to share their creative ideas with others and gather support and resources.
Muluken further noted that, students and teachers who participated and competed in this fair should realize that the platform is not their final goal; but consider it as an opportunity to exchange experiences, build capacity where they can benefit themselves and the country with their creative work in the future.
Innovative works should focus on building the capacity in a way that takes into account the future of the country through addressing the current problems of the country, he remarked
STEM Power Country Director Simenew Keskes (PhD), on his part said that providing science education with practical activities and supporting creative activities from schools to universities should be further reinforced through various ways. Mentioning that the activities carried so far are encouraging, he said, it is possible to generate internationally competitive students.
According to him, the main reason that those countries we categorized among the developed nations and able to reach the level they are now is because they have given a lot of attention to science and technology and work on it committedly. In view of this and to further promote creative works, strengthening such platforms at all levels and expanding from schools to the national level is vital. Concurrently, facilitating similar stages at the continental and international level is crucial, he added.
On the other hand, Ezedin Kamil, an Entrepreneur, who attended the forum and shared his experience, also said that students should not only compete to win at the fair, but they should also think about how they can transform their creative ideas into business, services and products that can change the society.
Ezedin mentioned that he was awarded consecutively in the science and environmental innovation competition held in 2017, 2018, and 2019. He stated that, he is currently a 3rd-year software engineering student at a university in Turkey. He also said that besides his studies, he has established his own company through his creative work and is undertaking various jobs, creating job opportunities for others aside from himself.
Ezedin also added that he was surprised by the creative works presented in this fair and expressed his belief that many entrepreneurial young people will be created in the future.
While speaking about the contest, the Mathematics, Science and Arts Desk Head at the Ministry of Education, Tadesse Teresa, said that the students and teachers who participated in the exhibition and the competition were students and teachers with special talents in science subjects.
Students and teachers who took part in the competition were selected by their respective states and city administrations.
According to him, the exhibition and the competition were held in eight areas and a total of 124 students and 20 teachers participated.
The Ministry is working persistently focusing on building the capacity of teachers as building teachers’ competence is of critical importance to achieve the set goal.
Community Engagement and Indigenous Knowledge Desk Head in the Higher Education Development Sector of the Ministry Selamawit Alemu said that, the platform will enhance students’ creativity and interest in science and engineering careers. It will also help the society to benefit from the contribution of the science and technology sector.
Senait said that, the platform allows students to develop the ability to solve the challenges they may face supported by scientific methods, to learn from each other, to further develop their creative works. Equally important, it enables participants to meet with new partners and stakeholders thereby creating market linkages.
Different prizes were given to the teachers and students who contested in the competition and stood from 1st to 3rd rank in the eight categories of the competition.
By embracing various platforms including organizing students’ creative work exhibitions and contests, it is possible to generate well-equipped, self-assurance, competitive productive human development. Equipping this generation with the needed skills, knowledge, confidence, and creativity mindset, in my view is a milestone move to effectively thrive and navigate in the ever-changing world.
The 9th Science and Environment Teachers and Students Innovation Fair was organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with STEAM Power, STEAM Synergy, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Education for Ethiopia and Addis Ababa University of Science and Technology, it was learnt.
Over one million primary and secondary students in Ethiopia have benefited from Engineering, Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) centers.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2024
