Japanese K28 million STEM Training Centre provision cheers Hakainde Hichilema

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By Henry Chunza and Derrick Sinjela

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has thanked the Japanese government for providing resources for the construction of the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Training Centre at a total cost of K28 million (Twenty-Eight Million kwacha).

And speaking earlier, Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Mizuuchi Ryuta says education will remain the pillar of Japan’s cooperation to Zambia under the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP), and the New Dawn Administration.

President Hichilema said that the construction of the centre will contribute to the country’s objective to increase the interest and facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship among learners from early childhood through to colleges of education, as well as STEM teachers, educators and researchers from within and outside Zambia.

The Head of State noted that the centre will once fully complete provide opportunities to teachers and learners to effectively contribute to the development of the country through science technology and innovations.

“Through this STEM training centre, I am confident that the education of Zambian citizens is assured and secured in a bid to accelerate the enhancement of STEM education,” President Hichilema said.

Speaking on President Hichilema’s behalf at the official opening of 2022 National JETS Fair and commissioning of the STEM Training Centre under the theme: Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship through skills transfer and digital literacy: Towards value addition, job creation and linkages with industry and community,’ Minister of Education Douglas Sikalima said Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics STEM Education must by the year 2023 begin to be implemented in order to enhance science, technology and innovation as well as research, which will ultimately lead to productivity for national and international demands.

By 2030, Zambia is envisioned to have made substantial progress towards the attainment of these global goals, Siakalima said.

Siakalima said that Zambia needs to unlock its potential in all sectors of the economy in the quest to attain the vision 2030, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and other regional and international commitments.

The Minister said that in line with the 8th National Development Plan (NDP) as a roadmap provides an avenue for catalyzing the nation’s response to addressing the much needed sustainable, holistic and inclusive national development over the 2022-2026 period.

“I confident that through the Economic transformation and job creation, human and social development, environmental sustainability and good governance environment, the economic and social ills besetting our country will be addressed,” an optimistic President Hichilema said.

President Hichilema said that the country’s population, especially the youth should have strong entrepreneurial capabilities, be self-reliant, outward looking and enterprising, and be able to take advantage of the potential and available opportunities for socio-economic development.

“Zambia’s national development agenda apex is on economic transformation and job creation with supportive strategic development areas which include human and social development, environmental sustainability and good governance.To attain economic transformation and job creation, human development is fundamental and an important ingredient adding that economic agenda in ensuring human development focuses on equitable and inclusive education.In order for our country to have a well-balanced developed nation, multifaceted, interlinked and integrated national development approach with strong linkages in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy is encouraged,” HH said in a speech read by Siakalima.

The JETS Fair has been in existence since 1968, with the mission to promote the production and display of high quality scientific and mathematical projects that provide solutions to local problems. However, not much of what has been initiated and innovated by the young innovators has been fully developed into a marketable product.

Hichilema said that there are many talented young people who have not been similarly inspired. and therefore challenge all ministers to figure out how to make sure that everybody who has the same talent and inclination is not left behind.

In the presidential speech, Hichilema challenged scientists and business leaders to think of creative ways to engage young people in mathematics, science and technology.

The minister equally alluded to a realization to that success will depend on teachers, parents, learners and the broader community supporting excellence.

“Therefore, I challenge scientists and business leaders to think of creative ways to engage young people in mathematics, science and technology. Zambia needs all hands on the deck. Everybody has got to be involved, so that we promote mathematics, science and technology education on behalf of not just this generation, but all the generations to follow,” advised President Hichilema.

Hichilema challenged researchers, companies, Patents Companies Registration Agency (PACRA, line ministries, higher education authorities and private sector to ensure that the viable innovations by learners through jets are harnessed, adopted and protected through patenting, with a view for subjecting the innovations to further research, support, development and commercialization.

In a speech read by Ominato Satoshi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Japanese Embassy to Zambia, Mr. Ryuta said that Zambian education system will be significantly strengthened through the dedication of with the work of the STEM Education Training Centre.

The seeds of the Training Centre were first seen 9 years ago, when Japan and Zambia agreed to embark on significantly strengthening the education sector in Zambia, first through a financial support in three stages, totalling JPY 900 MILLION OR APPROXIMATELY USD 6.8 MILLION.

Ryuta expressed his sincere appreciation to the government of Zambia for their initiative to officially commission the long awaited important project that Japan has been supporting.
Ambassador Ryuta said that the Republic of Japan is looking forward to a strengthened Japanese language training within the secondary education in Zambia.

“With this, and together with the STEM education in general, we could count of Zambian youths who would also contribute to strengthening our bilateral relationship in the future, possibly having had an opportunity of studying in Japan with a government sponsored private scholarship.”
Ryuta extended his best wishes to the STEM Education Training Centre for a great success in the sustainable human development.

On Friday,12th August, 2022, Mr. OMINATO Satoshi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Japanese Embassy, attended the Commissioning of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Training Centre constructed through Japan’s Grant Assistance within the framework of Poverty Reduction Strategy (RPS) amounting up to JPY 900 million in support of strengthening the education sector in Zambia, and delivered the statement of H.E. Ambassador MIZUUCHI Ryuta on this occasion.