The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) recently held the maiden edition of FunSTEM, an initiative designed to create excitement and enjoyable experience in STEM among girls in junior public secondary schools in vulnerable communities in Nigeria. The programme was themed,' Introducing Fun and Excitement into STEM Learning'.

Speaking during the programme at Girls Senior High School, Agege, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, the president of the association, Dr. Jumoke Etherigho, said the introduction of the fundamentals of STEM by framing learning as an exciting and enjoyable experience for girls is geared toward achieving an equal future in gender representation and economic inequality between urban and rural communities, through equipping them with knowledge, confidence, and creativity.

She expressed concern about the learning crisis, which has led to difficulty accessing quality learning opportunities in STEM subjects, often seen as the preserve of boys.

Etherigho stated that APWEN is committed to erasing the stereotype by using community projects to grill our girls in STEM learning, so they are motivated to choose engineering careers.

She stressed the need to bring up students who attend public schools to the same level as those who attend private schools in STEM teaching through free hands-on teaching and learning of STEM activities.