Peter Tabichi asks US tech giants to support STEM education in Africa

The Global Teacher prize winner Peter Tabichi has urged Silicon Valley giants to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Africa.

The Silicon Valley tech giants include Google, Facebook, YouTube, Cisco, Quizlet and EdCast among others.

He asked the US tech giants to fund training for STEM teachers in Africa as well as give scholarships to African students.  

GLOBAL FORCES

He urged the tech giants to launch programmes to encourage more African girls to take up STEM subjects and open internships for African students in their companies.

 “The fates of America and Africa are entwined. The same global forces that have seen wildfires and extreme weather events ravage the US have brought drought and crop failure to my own community, forcing my students to come to school hungry,” said brother Tabichi in a statement sent to newsroom by Varkey Foundation.

Brother Tabichi, who is a science teacher at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School at Pwani, village in Njoro, Nakuru County, said that many African migrants could be of great help to America.

MIGRANTS

“Today’s African refugees will be tomorrow’s migrants on America’s doorstep. It is Africa that supplies the cobalt, mined at human cost that powers the smartphones that underpin US corporate connectivity,” he said.

Brother Tabichi also met President Donal Trump of US on Tuesday where he was given a rare opportunity to open the US congress with a prayer.

Besides meeting President Trump, Brother Tabichi met World Bank officials ahead of his weeklong tour of US.

The member of St Franciscan Friar said that it is not enough for Western governments and companies to provide aid to alleviate the hardships faced in the global South.

“The Western countries must also help Africa produce scientific talent who will come up with fresh solutions from fresh perspectives that can only be cultivated at the coalface,” he added.

The founder of the Varkey Foundation, Sunny Varkey praised teachers for moulding young people.

TRANSFORM LIVES

“Teachers hold the future of our world in their hands through young minds they nurture and through the global Teacher prize, we strive every day to shine a spotlight on teachers and their enormous power to transform lives,” said Mr Varkey.

The chairman of Varkey Foundation, Vikas Pota said that Brother Tabichi’s call was timely.

“Peter Tabichi call could not be more timely nor more vital as climate change and conflict that force people from their homes, drought and food insecurity that threaten lives and livelihoods,” said Mr Pota.

He said if young Africans are to tackle the challenges they inherit, they will need the best education.

CHANGE THE WORLD

 “I urge political and business leaders in the US to answer Peter’s call and do everything they can to help teachers across Africa equip the next generation to change the world,” said Mr Pota.

Brother Tabichi was this year appointed the First champion for Children in conflicts and Crisis Education Cannot Wait, the global find for education in crisis. He is championing the cause of 75million children whose education is disrupted by conflicts and natural disasters.