FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Emphasis on STEM will benefit country: Chevron

Emphasis on STEM will benefit country: Chevron

Five-year scheme aims to get more children to enjoy science, maths

Some 58 trainers from Yala, Phang Nga and other provinces were here last week, to train 300 teachers from several schools in the province.
In a room devoted to natural disasters, teachers were introduced to locally sourced equipment and got involved in scientific experimentation.
They learned about the nature of tornados through two water bottles. Joined at the top, the bottles contained some water and small plastic balls. When shaken, the items spun around, giving the idea of how a tornado spirals and sucks objects into its vortex.
Meanwhile, treated as young students, teachers in an anatomy room learned about the human intestine system via the use of knotted plastic bags.
These people were all part of “Chevron Enjoy Science”, a CSR scheme of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production.
In order for the project to run for five years, it has secured partners like the Kenan Institute Asia and seven public-sector organisations, including the Office of Basic Education Centre (Obec), which oversees more than 30,000 schools nationwide.
Together, these participating organisations hope the techniques and equipment used will stir interest in science among young underprivileged students, as well as those at vocational level, at a time when few students want to pursue vocational studies and undergraduate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“Our goal is to promote long-term competency of the country in a sustainable way, in response to market demand. This will be the platform where all personnel involved can play a greater role in inspiring our kids,” said Pairoj Kaweeyanun, president of Chevron Thailand, which has allocated a Bt1-billion budget for the project.
“Our CSR projects have covered several areas, but discussion with partners shows us that focus in STEM should be the right direction, due to higher demand for personnel in this areas in the next five to 10 years,” he added.
Khon Kaen, Samut Prakan and Songkhla have been selected as pilot provinces for the scheme, due to their economic potential.
Some 123 schools in Khon Kaen have been taking part, including 113 small schools where teachers do not have degrees in science or maths.
Over five years, the project targets the overall inclusion of 600 schools, covering 10,000 teachers and benefiting 250,000 students.
Twelve STEM centres will also be established, as learning centres for all.
Toyota, Honda and Denso have also committed to helping a vocational STEM centre materialise, while more companies in the energy, electronics and agricultural sectors are expected to collaborate, as these industries need more capable technicians to improve their competitiveness.
Through the Kenan Institute Asia, staff from the Teachers’ College of Columbia University in the US take the lead in the training, working side by side with local trainers.
Khon Kaen University is committed to facilitating the training, as well as developing innovation deriving from the project and maintaining equipment, with the understanding that technology can lengthen the merits of the project even after the five-year period.
Piyabutr Cholvijarn, chairman of the Kenan Institute Asia, is also hopeful that Obec will extend the scheme to cover all schools nationwide.
“One party cannot do this, as we need both software and hardware. Our efforts must be integrated to raise awareness that giving education is the duty of all. And this will help us withstand challenges,” he said.
As part of the project, scientific equipment will be provided, although the schools will not actually own it. Usage will be managed by a centre, which will also maintain the equipment.
“Our goal is that more of our children will pursue studies in the [STEM] subjects, while those at vocational schools are inspired by a bright future outlook. If they see the benefits, there should be a significant change,” said Pairoj.
While private companies’ schemes can benefit society, the impacts will be greater with cooperation from public agencies, he said, adding that under this scheme, participating schools’ executives are required to attend training so that they realise the importance of the project. 
Chevron Thailand’s president said the project’s success would be reflected in the science and maths scores of young students at participating schools, while another measure of success would be if more Matthayom 3 students pursued their studies in vocational schools.
More participants would then be able to find decent jobs and see an improvement in their income, he added.
While the project’s budget is huge, it won the parent company’s approval. US-based Chevron has been operating in Thailand for nearly 40 years.
Meanwhile, “Chevron Enjoy Science” is also being implemented in several countries, with the detailed aspects of each project suited to local conditions.  
Education has been the focus of Chevron’s Thai unit for many years.
 
Vocational project
Its vocational-schooling project has been a success. Started some 30 years ago, it first served as the training school for Chevron’s new recruits. Now, it churns out workers with English and on-the-job training, who are ready to work at any company.
Ninety students are admitted each year and, during the study period, they receive stipends. On graduation, some are recruited to join Chevron.
There is a shortage of geologists, though. To address this, Chevron and PTT Exploration and Production have teamed up with Chulalongkorn University to launch an international graduate course.
“Thailand is in high demand for personnel with knowledge in STEM areas. At Chevron, finding vocational talent is not a problem. We are in short supply of geologists, but we believe that this project will benefit the entire country,” Pairoj explained.
 
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