Former NUC Boss, Okebukola Unveils Innovative Approach to Advance STEM Education

Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), has introduced a new method designed to enhance the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

The approach, known as the Model-And-Surpass Pedagogy (MSP), was officially presented at the 2025 International Conference of the International Research Group (IRG), co-hosted by the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators (CASTME), which concluded on September 18.

Okebukola, who in 1992 became the first African to win the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Communication and Popularisation of Science, developed MSP as part of his lifelong efforts to create culturally relevant teaching methodologies. The pedagogy was formally introduced to the global academic community by Professor Jomo Mutegi, former President of the US-based National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST).

The conference drew participants from across the globe, including the United States, United Kingdom, Burundi, Ghana, Finland, Nigeria, The Gambia, Mauritius, and Sierra Leone.

Explaining the motivation behind his innovation, Okebukola—also a former Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)—stressed the need for African-grown solutions to education.

> “My drive for inventing teaching methodologies, which earned me the 1992 UNESCO Prize, comes from the fact that most methods in use are developed by non-Africans and are ill-suited for our cultural context. The widespread adoption of these imported methods contributes to poor student performance in STEM. My goal is to change that by making science teaching more relevant, engaging, and effective for African students,” he said.

He recalled that after more than four decades of research, he invented the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) in 2015, along with the Okebukola Eco-Techno Cultural Theory. These have since gained international recognition, with CTCA now applied in several African, Asian, European, and North American countries.

On MSP, Okebukola explained:

> “This new pedagogy is based on students modelling the work and character of great scientists—one of whom must be African—and striving to surpass them. By emulating their resilience, creativity, and achievements, students are inspired to aim higher. The ultimate goal is improved learning outcomes and a positive attitude towards STEM.”

The MSP involves a structured seven-step teaching process, ranging from students researching scientists’ lives before lessons, to group comparisons, practical experiments, and reflective tasks designed to link scientific concepts with role models’ contributions.

Okebukola further revealed that researchers from Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, under the Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education (ACEITSE) at Lagos State University, have already begun testing MSP’s effectiveness.

He emphasized that the project aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision, stating:

> “The era of Africa playing second fiddle in STEM is coming to an end. MSP is designed to ensure Africa contributes meaningfully to the global knowledge economy.”

Looking ahead, he disclosed that efforts are underway to design another teaching method rooted in Artificial Intelligence (AI), tailored to the African socio-cultural environment. This initiative will be developed in collaboration with the National Association of Artificial Intelligence Practitioners (NAAIP).

Keynote addresses at the conference were delivered by Professor Jomo Mutegi (Old Dominion University, Virginia, USA), Professor Pascal Doh (University of Turku, Finland), Professor Uchenna Maristella Nzewi (University of Nigeria, Nsukka), and Professor Shari Watkins (American University, Washington DC).

Fellowship awards were also conferred on Dr. Sue Dale Tunnicliffe (Chairperson, Board of Trustees, CASTME), Professor Juma Shabani (University of Burundi), Professor Ibiyinka Ogunlade (Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti), and Professor Emeritus Peter A. Okebukola (Lagos State University).