The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, in collaboration with an Igbo social-cultural organisation, Odinala Cultural Heritage Foundation (OCHE), has established a committee to develop curriculum for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) with Igbo as the language of instruction and evaluation in schools throughout South East Nigeria.
During the opening at the Asuu-unizik Secretariat on Friday, the University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Esimone, stated that the curriculum will help encourage the use of mother tongue in modern technologies.
The VC praised the foundation for introducing the initiatives and charged the committee members with completing the assignment thoroughly.
In his address, the Executive Director of OCHIE Igbo STEM School, Okoro Chinedum Benedict, said the target of the Project is to raise a generation of Igbo children who can innovate, conceive, invent, and interpret phenomena in the Igbo language.
He noted that it will also take off on a virtual note targeting to enroll Igbo kids from all parts of the world.
“This way, the educational barriers and challenges associated with the learning sciences in our primary and secondary schools would be a thing of the past.
“Over the years, educationists, researchers, and curriculum development experts have argued that children perform better when taught in their mother tongue, hence the project”, OCHIE boss explained.
Former Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof Chinedu Nebo, in his keynote address, called on all Universities in South East region to make Igbo language compulsory for students.
Nebo who spoke on the topic ‘The Potentials of mainstreaming Igbo as the language of instruction and evaluation for STEM in Igboland’, also called on south east governors to make the language a text-run for those seeking for government work in the region.
The National President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwanyawu was represented at the event by Prof Fred Eze.
