Science teachers drawn from the three senatorial zones of Akwa Ibom are now participating in a workshop on how to improve science teaching methods in the state.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop in Eket, Prof. Ebong Mbium of the University of Calabar urged the teachers to stimulate the interest of their students in the study of sciences.

Mbium challenged the science teachers to develop and adapt locally available materials for teaching, while conducting experiments on projects that specifically related to the environment.

“Our cultural setting is not scientific, science teachers should incorporate open-ended experiments that relate to the environment.”

“In Biology, for instance, students should go out to collect specimens in the environment for their studies, instead of waiting for imported dog fish,” he said.

He charged the science teachers to remove the cultural barriers that limited the access of the girl-child to science education.

Mbium noted a striking gender imbalance in favour of boys in the study of sciences and technical subjects in secondary and tertiary institutions across the country.

Our correspondent reports that 150 teachers of science subjects, Mathematics and English Language in Senior Secondary Schools attended the workshop.

Public Affairs Manager, Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), Mrs Rita Umoren, told our correspondent that the workshop was an intervention programme designed to promote the performance of students in the sciences.

“The resource persons are scientists, lecturers from universities, WAEC and NECO examiners and coordinators, who are familiar with the curriculum and problems of students,” she said.

She said that the interactions at the workshop would also improve the teaching skills of the science teachers.

Umoren, however, noted that there was a need to improve the students’ performance in science subjects, so as to provide a solid foundation for the country’s development.

She said that MPN had sponsored the training of 1,800 science teachers at the workshop since it started four years ago to promote science education in the country.