The Bayelsa State government has unveiled plans to prioritize the teaching and learning of Ijaw, French, and Chinese languages, alongside science and mathematics, in public schools.
This initiative was revealed by the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, during a courtesy visit by the state chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) at the Government House in Yenagoa.
Ewhrudjakpo emphasized that the inclusion of these languages and core science subjects in the school curriculum is aimed at preparing and equipping children to take full advantage of career opportunities in these fields.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, Ewhrudjakpo underscored the importance of incorporating Chinese into the curriculum, citing the growing economic influence of China in global affairs. He expressed the belief that by introducing Chinese language studies, students would be better positioned to navigate the evolving dynamics of international trade and commerce.
Ewhrudjakpo assured the APWEN delegation of the government’s commitment to supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.
“I am happy about the program you are introducing. For us, we have made it compulsory; we are pursuing STEM because we believe that with that, the negative impression of Bayelsa State would change sooner or later,” Ewhrudjakpo said.
The Deputy Governor further highlighted ongoing efforts in teacher recruitment, where priority is given to individuals specializing in science, information and communication technology (ICT), and mathematics. He revealed plans to recruit more teachers in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, agricultural science, and computer science.
“Additionally, emphasis will be placed on the inclusion of Chinese, French, and Ijaw languages in the curriculum,” he added.
