The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has launched Technology Story Board (TSB) project in Gombe State for the northeastern zone, to demystify technology and whip up interest in the sciences among school children in Nigeria.
The launching of TSB in Gombe is in continuation of the zonal launching of the project in the six geopolitical zones which started with the northwest in Katsina, in 2020.
Speaking at the launch, the director-general of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim, said the project TSB is a carefully and consciously drafted programme by NOTAP in collaboration with some production companies to demystify technology through illustrations of product manufacturing processes for easier understanding and appreciation by Nigerian children.
“TSB is a pictorial or graphical, step-by-step representation of production processes from the raw materials stage to a finished product. The project was initiated by NOTAP in 2014 as a strategic means of popularising science, technology and innovation (STI) among younger Nigerians at the basic school level. However, the national launching of the TSB took place in 2015 in FCT, Abuja,” he said.
The NOTAP boss pointed out that the project targets young Nigerians at secondary and primary school levels whose interest may be aroused by the production pictures displayed on their school walls to appreciate science subjects. He noted that there is low patronage of science subjects by Nigerian students, adding that for any nation to be economically independent, its youths must wholistically embrace science and technology.
He reiterated the importance of the programme to the technological growth of the nation, adding that the philosophy of the project is that when children go through the technology storyboard for six years, there is a high probability of developing an interest in the sciences.
Ibrahim appreciated the state commissioner, Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, Dr. Aisatu Maigari for her passion and interest in bringing development to the state through collaboration with relevant government establishments.
He further buttressed the need for researchers to embark on demand-driven research, instead of conventional research that does not translate into product and services but only end up on shelves.
The DG expressed optimism in the ability of Nigerian researchers to move their research and development (R&D) findings to the market by undertaking demand-driven research to ensure steady economic development of the country. He added that the Nigerian knowledge establishments are crucial to the journey of Nigeria’s technological development.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, called NOTAP’s TSB project “a welcome development that will help to arouse the curiosity for science among the younger generation, especially at the basic school level”.
He applauded the DG of NOTAP for considering Gombe worthy to benefit from the unique educational tool, adding that the Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) established in the state university by NOTAP has increased the sensitisation and awareness among innovators and inventors in the state on the need to protect their intellectual asset before throwing them into the public place.
Represented by his deputy, Manassah Jatau, Yahaya expressed delight in the TSB which. according to him, has huge potential benefits not only to children in Gombe State but all Nigerians, as it will catapult the country into economic prosperity. He stated that “as a country that aspires to grow technologically, we must support, promote and encourage innovations, inventions and other skills that emanate from our local industries”.
He emphasised the need for ministries, departments and relevant agencies of the government to have a robust partnership with the state to enhance the effective implementation of TSB and create greater synergy to deploy STI as an instrument for national development.
In a statement by NOTAP’s assistant chief public relations officer, Raymond Ogbu, Yahaya appealed to the organised private sector to explore ways to partner with the state government to commercialise its R&D results that the government has come up with for the overall development of the society.
