IHS, LSI train 20 Nigeria, Brazil teachers on space education

By Dotun Omisakin

IHS and Limitless Space Institute have trained 20 teachers across Nigeria and Brazil as part of their strategic partnership to broaden access to space education.

The Chief Corporate Services Officer at IHS Nigeria, Dapo Otunla, stated this during a media briefing that heralded a roundtable discussion for stakeholders on integrating more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects with space education in Nigeria.

“Those who actually feed the minds of the children are the teachers, so for us embarking on this, I think as a company we are actually privileged to support something like this.”

“We have been able to take ten teachers from Nigeria in rigorous exercise and teach ten teachers from Brazil also from IHS Brazil. So we have 20 teachers of IHS as a whole and the whole idea is that they come after gaining this knowledge as that to other teachers as well as students so the learning can be replicated,” he said.

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He reiterated the firm’s commitment in improving the country’s education and economic growth, describing them as part of the firm’s core sustainability program.

“So we can maximise and get critical value in term of benefits of the programme. For us, education and economic growth are key pillars of our sustainability program, with the mind as the foundation for all progress. IHS has been deeply involved in educational initiatives, especially in STEM, as we are fundamentally a company of engineers. Partnering with LSI aligns perfectly with our Mission T program, which promotes STEM education,” he said.

The 10 beneficiaries, who embarked on a 12-month training program both in Nigeria and the United States (US), shared their experiences at the event, expressing gratitude for the opportunity provided by IHS Nigeria and LSI.

Olayinka Adeoshun, a teacher at Ilupeju Junior Grammar School, Lagos, described the training as an eye-opener, assuring to extend the knowledge about space education to his students.

“The training has exposed me to what I could never have imagined in space science. My students are now more motivated than ever in space technology education. We’ve even established a virtual knowledge exchange program with the Space Institute in Houston.”

Also, Maranatha Haa, a chemistry teacher from Federal Government College, Jos, shared insights on how the training has sharpened her knowledge, expressing readiness to teach her students.

“This program has introduced me to the exciting possibilities of space science and the importance of collaboration across borders. I’m eager to share what I’ve learned with my students and fellow educators,” she said.