DEMONSTRATING their creativity through object-based learning, scores of students from the nursery, primary and secondary schools in Region Four (Demerara Mahaica) are participating in a two-day Biennial Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) fair.

The event which opened on Monday at the Diamond Secondary School will see 122 group entries within the three levels displaying their project creations under the theme: ‘Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics paving the way for a green and sustainable society’.

The fair is being coordinated by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) both of Region Four (Demerara Mahaica). For the very first time, the entities have included ‘Arts’ as a part of the activities recognising that they must cater for field and its contribution to society.

Around the school’s compound, a number of primary and secondary school students could be seen with innovative inventions or replicas of ways in which Guyana can generate energy, eliminate waste and make use of upcycled and recycled items.

The projects are separated under several categories some of which are: Environmental Science; Industrial Technology; Craft and Visual Arts; Home Economics; Information Technology; Agriculture Science and Biology and Physics. The nursery school-aged children were not left behind as they too pitched in to create craft items and other projects which promoted the use of local flora, plants and other items to support the country.

At the opening ceremony, Education Officer and STEAM Fair Coordinator, Loren Park said that the two-day event aims to reach a larger, long term goal and encouraged all the participants including teachers and students to take full advantage of the experience.
“This fair is not just about winning trophies, collecting vouchers… this fair is about our collective future, our shared destiny…your actions today can influence and affect what happens tomorrow. So, I urge you to visit every exhibit, ask lots of questions and take notes,” Park encouraged.

Speaking too was Regional Executive Officer (REO), Tiffany Harvey, who said education is a necessary requirement for the transformation and advancement of society. “Almost every day we can hear our teachers lament how difficult it is to capture children’s attention for more than a few minutes at a time. Youth today are known to respond to technology and interactive devices, so why not let our interactions with them be of such?” she questioned.
Delivering the feature address, Senior Lecturer in the Agriculture Faculty Department at the University of Guyana (UG), Elroy Charles, said that as the country paves the way for a green and sustainable society its leaders must make the necessary improvements in a number of crucial areas.

“Guyana, as we are aware, has the majority of its inhabitants on the coastal region and a few of its inhabitants in its interior locations. As a result of that, it requires large economic investment in order to power every household within Guyana. “We need to develop renewable energy resources that can help to ensure that people living in far-flung areas, in the hinterland regions, can enjoy the benefits of energy,” Charles stated.

Charles also touched on the topics of limited economic ventures, spatial development and the need for resilient infrastructure and highlighted good governance in every sector as a necessity of the overall advancement of the country.

“Last week, as we have noted, in Region Three, a heavy wave or storm destroyed our sea defences and created flooding in the Region Three area. It’s important and imperative that we look at resilient infrastructure in order to prevent the impending climatic changes that are occurring in the world today,” he said.

Following his remarks, Regional Chairman, Genevieve Allen declared the STEAM Fair open and encouraged teachers and guardians to ensure that they do not become hindrances to the inquisitive and creative nature of the children.
“Sometimes as teachers or even as parents, the child will have a kind of zeal for something great in the future and it us who will dampen that spirit,” Allen began, adding: “I want to have the assurance that you [the children] would have been given the technology and the information to carry this nation from where it is today, to one where we are experiencing and implementing technology to its optimum.”