FCT students shine like rubies in Science Expo, bag N1m

By Ngozi Dike-Nkemjika

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) dazzled like a diamond when its students dusted others in the just concluded Science, Technology and Innovation Expo 2019 organized by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST).

The event held at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu. A total of 159 exhibitors took part at the Expo while 397 products/projects were exhibited.

The FCT students from Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), Garki, distinguished themselves by clinching the first position from the field of tough competitors. For their efforts, the school carted home a cool N1million prize.

The third edition of the Expo with the theme ‘Science, Technology and Innovation for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Growth’  saw heavy participation by students, inventors, innovators, research institutions, universities, polytechnics, secondary schools, industrial laboratories, among others.

Welcoming the participants/competitors, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said Science and Technology is the weapon needed to fight hunger, disease, illiteracy, poverty and underdevelopment which can help to grow the economy sustainably.

The five-day event witnessed extended exhibitions in various pavilions, of inventions, innovations and research findings from research institutions, universities, polytechnics, secondary schools, industrial laboratories and others.

There were also continuous assessments of research and development results. The assessments were in various categories such as Technology Entrepreneurs, Research Institutions, Tertiary Institutions and Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS),  and were done by professionals to encourage competition to get the best from the Science, Technology and Innovation sectors.

The nation’s capital was represented by two schools namely: GSTC Garki and Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Gwagwalada. The schools exhibited their projects under the JETS category.

The GSTC Garki exhibited a project titled ‘Turning Rubbish into Innovation’ where the students produced floor and wall tiles from plastic waste. Waste sachet water nylon was recycled to produce tiles, while GDSS Gwagwalada exhibited a project titled ”biogas production” using waste materials to produce cooking gas.

At the end of assessment, GSTC Garki came first in the JETS category.

Acting Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Mrs. Ibrahim Christiana congratulated the students and their teachers for an excellent performance and urged them to maintain the tempo, expand their research activities and innovations in order to continually place their schools at enviable positions.

Receiving the champions at the FCT Education Secretariat, the Secretary for Education, Dr. Bala Liman appreciated the students for their impressive outing and performance, noting that they had made both their schools and FCT proud.

He urged them to keep up the good work. The Secretary added that the Secretariat is working towards giving them a gift deserving of champions.

It will be recalled that at the second edition of the Expo in 2018, GSTC Garki also emerged first smiling home with the sum of N1 million.