EDUCATION
Ex-NUC Chief Introduces Innovative STEM Teaching Method for African Classrooms
Ex-NUC Chief Introduces Innovative STEM Teaching Method for African Classrooms
A former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, has unveiled a groundbreaking teaching model designed to transform Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education across Africa.
The new approach, known as the Model-And-Surpass Pedagogy (MSP), was officially launched at the 2025 International Research Group conference, co-hosted by the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators. The event, which ended on September 18, drew participants from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Ghana, Finland, The Gambia, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, and Burundi.
Professor Okebukola, who made history in 1992 as the first African to win the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Communication and Popularisation of Science, explained that MSP was developed to address the cultural mismatch in teaching methods currently used in African schools.
“Many of the teaching methods we adopt are imported and not suited to our socio-cultural context,” he said. “My goal is to provide approaches that reflect African realities and improve students’ interest and performance in STEM.”
.lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{ margin-top: 40px; margin-bottom: 30px; } .lwrp .lwrp-title{ }.lwrp .lwrp-description{ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-container{ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{ display: flex; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-double{ width: 48%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{ width: 32%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{ display: flex; justify-content: space-between; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{ width: calc(33% - 20px); } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item img{ max-width: 100%; height: auto; object-fit: cover; aspect-ratio: 1 / 1; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item.lwrp-empty-list-item{ background: initial !important; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text, .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{ }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) { .lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{ } .lwrp .lwrp-title{ }.lwrp .lwrp-description{ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{ flex-direction: column; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container ul.lwrp-list{ margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-double, .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{ width: 100%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{ justify-content: initial; flex-direction: column; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{ width: 100%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text, .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{ }; }>According to Okebukola, MSP builds on decades of research and follows his earlier breakthrough, the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA), which he introduced in 2015 and which is now widely used in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Numerous studies have confirmed CTCA’s success in boosting students’ performance in both science and non-science subjects.
How the Model-And-Surpass Pedagogy Works
The MSP encourages students to model the achievements of great scientists and then strive to surpass them. Teachers select two renowned scientists—one of whom must be African—whose work aligns with the topic of study. Students research the scientists’ lives, compare their achievements, and identify qualities worth emulating. Lessons are then taught through the lens of these scientists, with interactive discussions and practical experiments that challenge students to think beyond existing discoveries.
Okebukola explained that this method not only enhances understanding but also motivates students to aim higher. “By learning the ways of great scientists and working to exceed their accomplishments, students cultivate curiosity, discipline and ambition,” he said.
Testing and Future Development
A team of researchers from Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia and Sierra Leone, under the Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education at Lagos State University, has already begun studies to evaluate MSP’s impact. The goal is to support the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a self-reliant and innovative Africa.
Professor Okebukola also revealed that he is leading another research team to develop an Artificial Intelligence-based teaching framework tailored to African cultural contexts. “The coming years will be exciting for African students and teachers. This is only the beginning of our quest for homegrown solutions to education,” he said.
Keynote speakers at the conference included scholars from the United States, Finland, and Nigeria, while several distinguished educators, including Professor Okebukola himself, received Fellowship Awards for their contributions to science education.
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