Lagos State Government has disclosed that 120,000 public primary and secondary schools pupils/students across its Six Educational Districts have been empowered with basic computer skills under its Digital Skills Initiative (DSI).
The students/ pupils were trained in the areas of Basic Computer Skills, Coding Skills, Scratch, Cloud Service and World Wide Web, Internet Technology, Interactive and Visualized Coding to prepare them ahead of the global information technology requirement
Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Education, Tokunbo Wahab made this disclosure on Friday at a Ministerial Press Briefing at Alausa , Ikeja Lagos as part of the activities commemorating the 2nd year anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ‘s administration in the State.
Wahab explained further that Digital Skills Initiative (DSI), which was implemented in collaboration with Advent Management Solutions with its delivery partners – LoftyInc Allied Partners Limited and Scholarx, was aimed at empowering youths and young students in Lagos primary and secondary schools by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and know-how that would enable them to thrive in the technology space in a couple of years’ time and compete in the future Job Market with digital skills like their counterparts from any part of the world.
While noting that Digital Skills Initiative is in tandem with the State Government vision for Education and Technology, which is the 3rd Pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda of Governor Babjide Olusola Sanwo Olu administration in the State.
‘’Digital Skills Initiative is a program that aimed at providing opportunities for pupils of the state of Lagos to learn coding skills, basic computer skills, introduction to the World Wide Web and internet technology so as to develop their digital skill and prepare them for the 21st century global information technology challenges, Eko Digital Skills is one of our own way of achieving Education and Technology part of the six Pillars Development Agenda of Governor Sanwo-Olu administration and Mr. Governor is very passionate about this project and had committed huge resources into it to make sure that students from our public schools are not lagging behind in the use of modern technology,’’ he stated
In addition to this, the Special Adviser disclosed that the success recorded in the Digital Skills Lagos has encouraged the State Government to commence the Phase two of the Digital Skills Initiative which aimed at empowering Youths and young students of Lagos state that are out of primary and secondary schools but yet to obtain a higher level of education either in a vocational training institute or tertiary institutions.
The Phase 2 of the Digital Skills Initiative, Wahab noted has been helpful in capturing numerous out of school young population into a training and education curriculum, designed to equip them with knowledge, skills, and know-how that would enable them to thrive in the technology space and entrepreneurship skills needed for self reliance.
He added that a total of 25,000 have so far benefited from different ICT training programmes under the Phase 2 of the scheme.
He said they were trained in different areas of ICT knowledge including; Computer networking, Coding, Computing and Advance worldwide Web, internet technology skills such as cloud computing and virtualization, among others.
Many of the beneficiaries of this particular initiative, the Special Adviser explained, were at present self-employed and employers of labour.
“They have been using their acquired knowledge in basic computer programming to develop soft ware and computer applications that provided them with means of livelihood,” he said.
While acknowledging the fact that challenges in education is enormous, Wahab explained that the State Government has been proactive in taking a holistic approach towards bringing a total reform that would address various challenges and make the sector rank among the best anywhere in the world
Apart from exploring technology to the fullest in the State School curriculum, the Special Adviser disclosed that the State Government had embarked upon full rehabilitation, rebranding and digitalization of the public school s libraries to compliment classroom teaching and learning, while students’ capacity is built in the application of technology for learning.
He disclose that a total of one hundred and seven public schools libraries have so far being upgraded and equipped with ICT facilities in the last one year , while two Divisional libraries in Epe and Badagry were renovated and fully equipped with relevant textbooks and ICT facilities to the best standard to encourage reading and healthy competition among the populace.
‘’Lagos State Government renovated and upgraded a total of 107 Libraries and ICT centers in public secondary schools to the best standard across the six Educational Districts of the State, while two Divisional libraries in Epe and Badagry have been upgraded to encourage reading among the populace. Work has also commenced on other Divisional libraries in line with the State Government vision for mass literacy for general development’’ Wahab explained
The Special Adviser who noted that the State Government huge investments in Education to reform the sector is yielding positive result with the outstanding performance of the public school students in external examinations and improved performances of their senior colleagues in various tertiary institutions owned by the State Government.
The Special Adviser who noted the ranking of the Lagos State University as the Second best University in Nigeria and one of the best six hundred institutions across the world by the Times Higher Education Ranking for the Year 2020 and 2021 was an indication that the State Government’s efforts at making the Educational system of the State a model for the country and West African sub Region is a reality.
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