Features

Encouraging Girls in Science to Bring Fresh Perspective to Problem-Solving

Published

5 years ago

June 15, 2021

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By Tolu Oyekan, Partner, BCG

Over the years, the study of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) has increasingly gained grounds across the world. Nigeria is not left out as many young people are becoming more interested in studying science subjects at secondary and tertiary levels of education.
This is no surprise as our world today is largely driven by technology. Technology encompasses practically every facet of our lives. Life has become easier through the application of technology. For instance, Information and communication technology (ICT) has proven to be invaluable as the world tries to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic challenges. The application of ICT tools kept people connected, made essential services accessible and sustained businesses.

The 21st century brought about lots of scientific innovations which have propelled the need for students at different levels to become more proficient in the knowledge of STEM. Besides Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics; other STEM subjects include Actuarial Science, Statistics, Psychology, Robotics, Information Science, Atmospheric Sciences and Educational Research.
Experts have discovered that early exposure of students to STEM and technology-related subjects will help young people develop a passion for technological pursuits and eventually help them pursue a job in a STEM field.

Right now, the fastest growing job categories are related to STEM with recent studies indicating new jobs in areas such as data analysis, software development and data visualization, virtual reality, artificial intelligence etc.

However, girls are highly under-represented in STEM and ICT classes; globally the percentage of young girls undertaking ICT courses range from 8.9% in Switzerland to 20.0% in United States, except for India with 50.5%. What this means is that except this trend changes, women will remain under-represented in the future workplaces.

This year, the International Girls in ICT Day held on April 22 with the theme: ‘Connected Girls, Creating Brighter Futures’. On this day every year, stakeholders in the technology space and indeed all of us, should seek opportunities to empower girls to develop digital skills so as to pursue careers enabled by technology.
As these young girls move on to take up various careers in the ICT sphere, they are faced with several challenges, particularly finding a perfect work-life balance. Conditions like pregnancy, breastfeeding and child care pitched against rigorous work hours, put many women in disadvantaged positions. In many cases, childcare centres are not found close to places of work resulting in women working part-time or accepting lower paying jobs to focus on their homes or quitting their career early.

There is also the glass ceiling issue affecting females in ICT such as gender biases during appointments, promotion and career improvement opportunities as well as harassment, biased evaluation by peers along with familial responsibilities, which could cause increased stress.

There could be several factors which account for the under-representation of girls in STEM. One which is quite obvious, is the issue of the environment, culture as well as the emphasis on gender equality and encouragement of growth mindset. A report from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) shows that the learning environment and social belief system affect girls’ interest and achievements in STEM/ICT subjects.

Another study showed that in countries like Sweden and Iceland where gender parity prevails, girls perform better than boys on Math tests. On the other hand, girls from countries like Turkey where gender discrimination is greater, don’t do well in Math tests.

Research also shows that majority of people view STEM fields as which should be ideally dominated by men; a view which still holds sway to this day. Society views women in science and engineering jobs as less competent than men unless they are exhibiting success tendencies.
No doubt, there are many women who are exceling in science and ICT-related fields. Some examples of women excelling in ICT globally include Sheryl Kara Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook and founder of LeanIn.org; Ruth Porat, Chief Financial Officer of Alphabet Inc and its subsidiary, Google and Ginni Rometty, Former Chairman, President and CEO of IBM, In Nigeria, worthy role models for girls are Funke Opeke, founder, Main One Technologies; Omobola Johnson, former Nigerian Minister for Communication Technology; Juliet Ehimuan, Country Manager Nigeria, Google; and Cherry Eromosele Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Interswitch, to name a few.
The beautiful thing is that girls definitely bring a fresh sense of perspective to problem solving in the classrooms and workplaces as professionals. One of such ways is using her ‘voice’; by this, I don’t just mean talking. It is when a girl challenges the status quo, excels at her studies, contributes in making policies or suggests an idea that moves their schools or organisation towards a new course of action.
Some studies have shown that teams with women as leaders were more successful when facing tasks that are more mentally challenging and required complex problem-solving abilities. But this good performance only showed if the women spoke up, if the men believed that women were capable contributors, and if the team acted on the women’s suggestions.

To ensure girls are more interested in STEM and ICT careers, women already in these fields should get more involved in the development of STEM policies which will favour and encourage girls to develop interest in these subjects. These will include exposing girls to STEM fields, encouraging participation in STEM programmes, providing scholarships, as well as supporting learning opportunities in communities.
And men can be effective allies in the gender equality conversations. They can start with listening their female conterparts and taking their concerns seriously. Men in position of authority can bring their influence to bear by amplifying women’s voices, educating other men against stereotype, credit women’s work and ideas fairly, advocate for policies that removes bias and advances equality. More importantly, men should show their support, at home, workplace and other social circles.

At Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the education and encouragement of girls to fit adequately into the future of jobs, is a core aspect of our ‘Back to The Future’ agenda. Currently, there are more women in the BCG workforce in Lagos, than there are men. Working with this crop of brilliant women have brought interesting and insightful perspectives to problem- solving. So, I know first-hand that women bring fresh perspective to problem-solving.
I hope that more girls will begin to have affinity for STEM subjects and capacity will be built in ICT-based endeavours to gain new skills and enhance problem solving.

Related Topics:Girls Child Education Tolu Oyekan

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Abiodun declares state of emergency on flooded Isheri community

…assures residents of permanent solution after comprehensive assessment

Published

3 years ago

October 23, 2023

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Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday declared state of emergency on the flooded Isheri community, in Ifo Local Government Area of the State, as he assured residents of the area quick intervention to save the situation.

The governor added that a comprehensive assessment that would lead to permanent solution to the menace of flooding in the affected area would be conducted very soon.

Prince Abiodun, who stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after inspecting the flooded community, said that his administration is working with the federal government to deal with the situation as an emergency case.

He noted that the time has come to find a lasting solution to the perennial flooding to make the area morw conducive for living.

According to him, the state government will see to the elevation of some roads in the area as parts of the solutions to the problem.

The govenor said: “We will prioritize the works here because I am touched with what I have seen. I will ensure that we immediately begin to see signs of relief as we are stepping this up. The Minister of State for Environment is already aware. The Vice President is already aware and also the president. It will be dealt with as an emergency and we are taking it as such.

“As an emergency, I will like to take it up myself. Please continue to bear with us as we are going to conduct a comprehensive assessment of what we need to do to make this place conducive for living.

“Whatever that assessment comes up with is what we are going to implement. So, we are going to first start with ensuring that we have the required road infrastructure at the appropriate levels.

“So if you now built in such a way that we need to relocate you, we have to do that. Whatever it is that we must do to ensure that place does not persistently experience flood, we will do it. But let us wait for the result of the studies to come back and then we will begin to take that decision as and when the situation arises.”

Addressing residents of Riverview Estate, Governor Abiodun said he has requested for an area survey of the entire estate to identify critical areas that needed immediately intervention.

He assured that the intervention would come through the construction of an elevated road with adequate drainages to mitigate their suffering.

“I want to assure you today, knowing fully well that we are a promise keeping administration, we do not say what we do not mean, my heart goes out to you, it is very unfortunate, I am giving my commitment today, the commissioner for works will come and see what needs to be done.

“We have also engage the Minister of State for the Environment, who fortunately, is from Ogun State and I have already brought this to his attention.

“Before the end of the week, I will also table it before the Vice President and the President as well so that we ensure that this problem gets all the desired attention and consequently gets the desired solution so we can bring this to an end,” he said.

The governor also disclosed that he and the Minister of Water Resources would visit the community in few days time.

“We will also discuss the issue of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority and try and interrogate the activities there and understand how their activities affect this community and other communities with respect to the opening and closing of the dam,” he said.

The governor described the environment around the Kara cattle market as an eyesore and not befitting the dreams of a “new Ogun State”.

He said that the market was not conducive for human living and not in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals and waste disposal.

He, however, acknowledged the area as one of the biggest commercial operation that provide services to a large number of people, even as he assured that government would go into a satisfactory agreement with the market men and women after which a comprehensive beautification of the area would take place.

The Chairman, Riverview Estate, Abayomi Akande, in his remarks, intimated the governor of the suffering residents of the area are going through as a result of the flooding.

He said that there is a need for a panel of inquiry into the operations of Oyan Dam to stop incessant release of water to cause havoc in the State

He applauded the governor for sending miscreants packing from the road, saying residents of the axis have suffered robbery attacks and other criminalities for quite awhile.

Akande urged the state government to think of converting the area into a Government Residential Area (GRA) through Public Private Partnership arrangement to fast track its development.

Features

MediaTek, Airtel Nigeria intensify collaborative efforts to bolster mobile connectivity in Nigeria

Published

3 years ago

October 13, 2023

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Lagos, Nigeria – October 12, 2023 – MediaTek, a global leader in semiconductor industry together with Airtel Nigeria, a leading telecommunications service provider, briefed the local media on Thursday on their collaborative efforts, to drive technological advancements and improve mobile connectivity across the nation.
The collaboration introduces MediaTek’s T750-powered Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), a groundbreaking technology that enhances internet connectivity. This advancement allows users to access high-speed 5G networks from the comfort of their homes, opening doors to remote work, gaming, online education, and entertainment streaming like never before.

Speaking during the session, Rami Osman, Director for Corporate Sales and Marketing at MediaTek, Middle East Africa, highlighted MediaTek’s commitment towards expanding its footprint across the Smartphone and Smart Device ecosystem in the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region.
“MediaTek is at the forefront of the global semiconductor industry, and we are proud to lead the way in key sectors like Smartphones, 5G Fixed Wireless Access, Wi-Fi, TV, and AI-IoT. In Nigeria, our collaboration with Airtel Nigeria, revolves around three core areas of focus. In connectivity, we are enhancing high-speed internet access with our advanced chipsets.”

“In the Smartphone domain, we are committed to offering a wider range of premium and flagship devices while supporting the transition from feature phones to smartphones. In the realm of AI-IoT, we are exploring new possibilities and technologies. Thus, this will promote digital inclusion, revolutionize connectivity in Nigeria, and contribute to sustainable development goals,” said Osman.

In addition, he said, “This collaboration aligns seamlessly with our MEA agenda, laying a robust foundation for the future of 5G technology. As we move forward, we are excited to lead in technological progress within this continually evolving region.”

Ismail Olusegun Adeshina, Director, Marketing at Airtel Nigeria, emphasized the importance of the partnership with MediaTek and how it will provide affordable connectivity to Nigerians. He stated, “Our commitment to innovation is evident through our early adoption of 5G technology. We’re proactively investing in this technology to improve connectivity, to tackle coverage and cost challenges, and make 5G devices more accessible across Nigeria”.

MediaTek powers globally recognized brands and remains dedicated to providing state-of-the-art innovations through its latest products and solutions. These offerings span a diverse range, including smartphones, smart devices, automotive technology, satellite connectivity solutions, and next-generation wearables.

MediaTek’s product portfolio includes MediaTek Dimensity for 5G smartphones, MediaTek HelioG series for 4G gaming smartphones, MediaTek Kompanio for arm-based Chromebooks, MediaTek Pentonic for Smart TV technologies, MediaTek Genio for Internet of Things applications, MediaTek Filogic for advanced Wi-Fi 6/6E & Wi-Fi 7 solutions, and MediaTek Dimensity Auto for cutting-edge automotive technologies, among others.
For more information, please visit: https://www.mediatek.com/

Features

Bigi Brand’s Annual “Watch & Win” Promo Returns with Grand Prizes

Published

3 years ago

September 28, 2023

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The award-winning Bigi Carbonated Soft Drink brand, a product of Rite Foods Limited, is delighted to unveil her highly-anticipated fourth edition of its “Bigi Watch and Win” promo. Designed exclusively for movie enthusiasts in Lagos and Abuja, this exciting promo offers participants the opportunity to watch their favourite movies and win fantastic prizes.

From September 18, 2023, to November 18, 2023, movie goers can enjoy any film of their choice at Silverbird Cinemas and receive a raffle ticket. These tickets can be redeemed for a chance to win incredible prizes, including laptops, Bigi products, printers, perfumes, and more. The grand prize for this edition is a brand-new car.

The first edition of “Bigi Watch and Win” took place in 2021, and later that same year in December, the Bigi brand held another edition. Since then, it has become an annual tradition, demonstrating Rite Foods Limited’s commitment to rewarding brand loyalty among its valued consumers.

Ms. Biola Aransiola, Assistant Brand Manager for Bigi, expressed her excitement about the fourth edition of the promo, saying, “We’ve partnered with Silverbird Cinemas to enhance people’s movie-going experience. Movie lovers can enjoy any of our 13 Bigi Carbonated Soft Drink flavours while watching their favourite films and stand a chance to win amazing prizes.”

Ms. Aransiola also mentioned that her favourite part is witnessing participants’ reactions when they discover the incredible prizes they have won, particularly the grand prize—a brand-new car. She encourages potential participants to check @getbigi on all social media platforms for the terms and conditions.

Through the “Watch & Win” promo, the Bigi brand accentuates Rite Foods Limited’s dedication to supporting the entertainment industry. The brand continues to sponsor movie premieres, as it has in the past with movies such as “The Prophetess,” “Progressive Tailors Club,” and “Aki and Pawpaw.” Additionally, it has been a consistent sponsor of the popular talent discovery platform, Nigerian Idol, for three consecutive seasons (6, 7, & 8), helping aspiring Nigerian singers achieve their dreams of stardom in the music industry.

The “Watch & Win” promo, combined with other effective marketing initiatives, has earned the Bigi brand numerous awards within its market segment. In 2023, Bigi Cola was honored with the “Best Value for Money” award at the BrandXchange Consumers Value Awards. In 2022, it received the “Fastest Growing Cola Brand of the Year” award at the Marketing Edge Brands and Advertising Excellence Awards in Lagos. The Bigi brand also claimed the “Most Outstanding CSD Brand of the Year” award at the 2021 Brandcom Awards, solidifying its position as a market leader in the beverage industry, outperforming its competitors.