On Saturday, October 27, 2007, 315 Science teachers in Akwa Ibom State had their turn in the fourth annual NNPC/EPNL sponsored Intervention Workshop for senior science teachers. The venue was the Ivy League-like setting of Cornelia Cornelly College, Afaha Oku, Uyo, reputed to host a model science centre. The two-day workshop ended on Saturday, November 3, 2007.

It was an assembly of teachers from diverse post primary schools with diverse science backgrounds; some with and others without science education orientation. That was sufficient to necessitate an intervention workshop buoyed by the quality resource persons engaged for the programme. Apart from Prof. E. W. Mbipom, the programme director other resource persons present were Dr. (Mrs.) I. Uwa, Dr. Dan Amabasi, Dr. Ita Akpan Dr. E. Joshua and Mr. Mac Ukpong. They were mainly from the universities of Uyo and Calabar.
However, factors in the general decay in schools as well as other "variables" and the commendation the company received from teachers and the state government become pronounced and understandable. The keynote address to the opening ceremony by the EPNL Capacity development Manager, Dr. (Mrs.) Nkoyo Attah and the address by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Bebe A. Ukpong highlighted the reasons for the intervention.

"The Science Teachers Intervention workshop is being organized to reflect the Thinking of EPNL Management with respect to developing a virile manpower base for her host communities through a sound collaborative technological educational development policy," Dr. Attah explained, emphasizing that the idea was geared towards "producing first class students who, in turn, are able to compete favourably beyond the realms of employment quotas". She also stated that the company was working on a concept of refocusing its educational development policy with respect to its scholarship schemes deliberately aimed at bright students in the science and technology disciplines. She urged the teachers to take up the challenge thrust upon them and live up to their duty of guiding and counselling the students.
Her remarks were reminiscent of messages she had delivered at similar forums sponsored by the company; some of the most recent being the annual Teachers Development Workshop, the Science Intervention workshop for NYSC teachers in OML 58 and the novel "Catch Them Young" project. Mrs. Attah was represented by the Head, Education Development, Mr. Okechukwu Obara. Mr. Obara easily connected with the teachers after disclosing that his experience as a teacher spans some of the schools in Akwa Ibom State.
Noting that "the learning of science in our schools helps to pave way for our economic empowerment", the commissioner for education, Dr. Ukpong extolled the contributions of the company saying, "let me on behalf of His Excellency, the Governor appreciate Elf Petroleum Nigeria limited for sponsoring this training workshop". He said it was in tandem with the federal and state government objectives on science education. Lamenting the incidence of poor examination results especially in the science subjects, he counselled the teachers on other areas that were expected of them.

"I urge you teachers to strive at all times to raise a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the views and feelings of others, respect the dignity of labour and also fear God," said the commissioner who was represented by a director in the ministry, Apostle Michael Ekpo.

However, the question and answer session seemed focussed on expectations of the teachers from government and Apostle Ekpo had to field questions on sundry issues including why facilities were abandoned. Mr. Ekikere Ukpong of Comprehensive Secondary School Ndiya, Ikono Local Government Area, animated the environment with his call for improved allowances to which the commissioner's representative said it had been provided for in the 2008 budget. Mr. Simeon Ufot, a Physics teacher at Etinan Institute observed that there was no power supply to enable them use some of the available science facilities. In essence, the forum also allowed the teachers to interface informally with government. In contrast, the teachers lauded the efforts of EPNL in sustaining the Programme and solicited an increase in the number of days for the forum.

To further enhance the competency level of the teachers, a paper titled "Computer Appreciation for School Teachers", was introduced. According to Prof. Mbipom, "the current situation in which the student is computer literate while his teacher is not is uncomfortable and unacceptable. In the same vein, the performance of the students at school certificate examinations was seen as key in the impact assessment of the programme each year.

What was easily discernible was the fact that the participants who manifested so much enthusiasm must have been encouraged by the positive experience of past participants. The workshop was another demonstration of the company's effort to build capacities in Akwa Ibom State.

The photographs below complete the story.

Apostle Michael Ekpo, Director, Ministry of Education, Akwa Ibom State

Mr. Obara making his speech at the event

A group photograph of EPNL representatives and the Resource people

A cross section of teachers at the workshop