Ogun State Bureau of Information Technology in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union, an agency under the United Nations, has commenced training for 80 girls selected from 40 public and private primary and secondary schools within Abeokuta.
The training is aimed at raising the standard of education in Information and Communications Technology.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Communications and Technology, Mr Dayo Abiodun, while declaring open a four-day training for the pupils and students at Ogun Tech Hub, Kobape, Abeokuta, stated that the training was organised to commemorate the year 2022 International Girls Day in ICT, tagged ‘Access and Safety’.
Abiodun, in a statement signed by BIT’s Information Officer, Mrs Olayinka Ezema, noted that the training was imperative to ensure that girls and young women thrived in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and ICT careers, thereby giving them the necessary impetus to compete in the world of technology, while improving their socio-economic status.
He said, “The world is digitalised and we must encourage our young females to participate actively in the development of ICT in the state, to empower themselves, and contribute to the socio-economic growth of the state. This is our focus and we will not relent as a government to bring this to realisation.”
According to him, the training would inspire the female child to venture into the field of information technology through learning basic programming blocks, web development, and digital electronics to girls between the age brackets of seven and 15 from 40 schools within Abeokuta as a pilot scheme.
Speaking, the Special Assistant, ICT, Mr Olakunle Akibola, said the state government would not relent on exposing youths, especially the girl-child, to digital knowledge beneficial to the economic growth of the state.
He said the training was a learning curve in building the capacity of young females and preparing them for their various future career.
In her contribution, the Director, Standard Regulations, Planning and Statistics, Mrs Olatundun Adekunte, advised them to be focused during the training period to gain the required knowledge on digital literacy, which would help proffer solutions to challenges experienced in their day-to-day activities.