Children with disabilities were able to channel their problem-solving abilities on Monday in the form of robotics, which has sparked plans to establish a National STEM Club to cater to this group.
The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) in partnership with ExxonMobil Guyana launched its Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Robotics Exhibition for children with disabilities.
It is a platform for children with disabilities to showcase their skills and interact with the public.
GCOPD Programme Manager Ganesh Singh shared that this first robotics event is a stepping stone, where over 200 children have been assisted for over three years from nine special education needs schools.
He noted that they were able to reach persons who were neglected under the special educational needs system while adding that 130 participated in this programme.
“We were able to teach the children basic robotics, basic coding to help them to develop critical problem-solving skills, expose them to science, technology, engineering and math concepts, and also at the same time, raise the level of environmental awareness…And with this project, we’re able to get more in-depth. We did not achieve all our goals as yet because we have a lot more plans in the not-too-distant future to build on what was done,” Singh outlined.
Moving forward, Singh announced that a National STEM Club for children with disabilities will be formed where they will be given a chance to perform in competitions locally and further afield. He said new concepts and an introduction to STEM along with a new club for children within the autism spectrum are in the works.
We’re also working to establish a National STEM Club for children with disabilities. This is something we wanted to do since last year but there were a number of factors why we couldn’t. But very soon, we will select persons from the different clubs and have some other persons join and we will have a National STEM Club.”
President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, who was present at the event, noted that Guyana is at a pivotal time in its history, where success and sustainability will rely on inclusion.
“The STEM programme is one of ExxonMobil’s Corporate Social Responsibility focus areas…I’m pleased to say we’ve been able to provide STEM learning to young people in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10 centred on inquiry-based science education. I’m confident that the young people who took part in the programme discovered exciting, different ways to learn and enjoyed creating new things.”
He further stated that if everybody plays their part, resilient communities will be created.
“We recognise that supporting youth promotes the development and the empowerment of children with disabilities have been prioritised through this STEM education programme…It is through the support of such organisations and our partners in these initiatives that people with disabilities are empowered to make important contributions to their families and our communities,” he added.
