By Olatunde Ajayi
The PAN African University Life and Earth Science says the institute is poised to inspire high school students to become the next generation of problem-solvers through its innovation challenge.
The inspiration will be done through the institute’s Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The Director of the institute, Prof. Mubo Sonibare, said the initiative, over the years, had provided a platform for high school students to showcase their innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
Sonibare stated this at the “Ibadan STEM Showcase 2025” organised by the institute for selected high school science students in Ibadan on Friday.
According to her, STEM Showcase is part of the programmes of the Pan-African University of Life and Health Sciences, an initiative of the African Union Commission established by the Heads of State of the African countries in the African continent.
“The initiative is one of our cardinal programmes towards encouraging youths through education.
“We bring students from secondary schools together to encourage them in STEM, so that they can have innovative ideas and showcase them to encourage them going forward.
“For the 2025 edition, we reached out to about 20 schools to bring their science students, their innovators to publicly present their innovative solutions, and the essence of this is to encourage them in the way of STEM and innovation.
“We don’t want them to be limited in any way. They are hopes of tomorrow, so we want to encourage them in those great minds and the creativity.
“Apart from their own ingenuity, and what they have already created, we have also brought together some of our partners, like the University of Ibadan Design Studio and STEM Café given them hands-on training that can challenge their minds, and motivate them going forward,” she said.
Also, a programme facilitator from Kids Tech Empowerment Foundation, Mrs Cecilia Adenusi, urged the students to build more on knowledge gained from innovation showcase challenges and mentorship sessions.
She advised the students to always push themselves to know more and make themselves available for tech expo, challenge and other innovative programmes.
A student of International School Ibadan, Tumininu Akinwale, said the programme had exposed her to different areas of robotics and Artificial Intelligence and their applications in solving complex tasks and other real world challenges.
Master John Adedeji from International School, Ibadan emerged the overall winner of the 2025 STEM showcase.
He was followed by Fasesayemi Daramola from the Vale College Ibadan, while Oluwapemisire Emida, from the same Vale College, got the third position.
Among the schools that showcased their innovations include, Pathfinder College, Ibadan, International School, Ibadan, Valencia College Ibadan, Methodist High School Ibadan, kings College, Ibadan, Abadina College and Loyola College, Ibadan.
Others include, Men of Issachar Vision, College, Ijokodo High School, Ibadan, Command Day Secondary School, Ibadan, Rubbies College, and Maverick College Ibadan, among others.
The event also featured break out and technical sessions on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Physical Computing and Embedded System, Scratch Programming, and 3D modelling and designing.
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