Eco Network Africa Foundation (ENAF) has set a target of distributing mobile labs to a total 300 Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the country.
This was revealed during the launch of the distribution program in Migori at Anjego Comprehensive primary school in Uriri Sub County.
This was done in partnership with school equipment production unit (SEPU).
According Ms Gloria Nanjala, an official from SEPU, out of the set target 17 schools have benefited from SEPU in the distribution of mobile labs one of them being Anjego Comprehensive school in migori county.
“Our main target is to supply over 300 school both rural and urban setups with mobile labs to ensure that STEM is fully embrace from Junior to Senior schools and currently we are working with 17 schools, including Anjego.”Said Ms Nanjala.
Ms Nanjala added that the main reason behind SEPU’s initiative is to encourage students, mostly girls to understand that Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects are not hard but to nature the habit of innovation in creativity from the childhood to adulthood.
Moreover she revealed that they identify the needy schools through collecting of information from the stakeholders and teacher participating in their programs across the country.
The mobile science lab is coming up with a solution with an in-built laboratories to schools that are not able to build laboratories.
The mobile lab unit is equipped with water system to ensure there is a water inlet and outlet, microscope, fire extinguisher in case of fire outbreak and laboratory reagents.
Says Paul Mole who is a part of SEPU multi-central committee and the program combined with Eco Network Africa in Migori County noted that girl child performance when it comes to STEM subject is poor as compared to boys.
He said that through the initiative, the program will ensure that girls are able to get facilities that enable them to undertake STEM while in JSS and compete fairly with boys.
“Boys have been opting more for subjects that are in STEM while girls take social subjects.
But because the education enables equality by giving more opportunities, girls can as well perform in these subjects when we introduce such initiatives.” He said.