Kopkop College recently hosted its 2nd STEAM Fair on Friday the 26th of July 2024 in Port Moresby hosted by the students from elementary to Grade 12.
STEAM which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, is a curriculum focus designed to equip students with the skills necessary for success and with that, were given the opportunity to portray their talents and skills through this year’s fair.
They were able to showcase a variety of their projects under the STEAM subjects and portrayed through their booths.
Students from each grade starting from Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) to grade 12, were put into groups where they worked together to build and design their projects in their respective classes and from there, were assessed based on the best project in which was then showcased during the STEAM fair.
Coordinator of the STEAM Fair and secondary school science teacher of Kopkop college, James Winnie, told PNG HAUSBUNG that the STEAM Fair which was once known as a science fair, had its name change simply because of the transition and changes that are currently happening in the curriculum in which the PNG education system is now using.
“Our outcome of this fair is for our students to venture into something that can be monetized such as videography, music, art and so on.”
“Not everyone will go into tertiary especially our grade 12s and so we have to train them in such a way that the knowledge they gain here can be applicable.”
Similarly, founder of Kopkop College, Maria Kopkop also expressed how important it is that each student must go through such activities like this in order to upgrade their skills.
She also stressed that tertiary institutions in the country need to understand all these aspects of learning through STEAM for the sake of the children.
“Institutions need to improve their schools such as the arts school for the betterment of our children.”
“Our children need more leadership from the teachers, institutions and from the government.”
She also added that with all these talents and skills the students have, main factors hindering them from portraying what they built in their school projects to the real world are, support from parents, institutions in making sure al students are well educated and having the funds to support them in their dreams.
Meanwhile, Winnie called upon the government for support and to invest a lot more in human resource because those are whom will bring about positive change.
“Since we have limited tertiary institutions in the country, such programs must be supported so we can contribute and invest greatly in students.”