FG advises girls to pursue career in ICT

 

The Federal Government has begun collaboration with Huawei, an information and communication technology solutions provider, to train 1,000 girls in ICT.

The measure is to empower female pupils with basic ICT skills with a view to improving their employment chances.

The initiative, tagged “Huawei 1,000 MCT/Girls ICT Training programme,” is the brainchild of the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology.

The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, represented by the Technical Assistant (Research), in the ministry, Olufunke Baruwa, made this known at the inauguration of the ICT Club of the Pyramid of Excellence Schools in Abuja.

Johnson said the programme would help to reduce the imbalance in ICT adoption between men and women in the country.

She added, “The ICT sector is emerging as the fastest growing sector in Nigeria, recording a 30 per cent year-on-year growth with the potential to significantly contribute to increasing the social welfare of men and women in the future.

“Towards this end, the Federal Government is committed to changing the perception of young people to ICT and encouraging positive interest and engagement in their academics as well as to pursue future careers in ICT.”

The minister explained that the government, in its determination to encourage Nigerian pupils to develop an early interest in ICT, established the ICT club.

According to her, the initiative is an early intervention project to demystify ICTs and project technology as a viable career option that can empower and impact positively on the future of our youngsters.

She further stressed, “The aim of the club is to remove the barriers that discourage students from embracing ICTs through quizzes, ICT games, application development, animation, website development, blogging, graphics design, computer programming, assembling and dissembling computers and creating short films. Periodically mentors will be invited to give inspiring talks and participate in various ICT related activities that will interest the students.”

The minister said her ministry being a key partner in the Growing Women and Girls Initiative was empowering women and girls through specific technology initiatives.

Johnson said, “To help overcome digital divide in Nigeria, the Ministry of Communication Technology has committed itself to setting up various projects such as The SmartWoman Nigeria Project, MCT/Huawei 1000 ICT Girls Training, and The Digital Girls Club.

“Among these projects, the Digital Girls Club which is an extra-curriculum activity has been designed for secondary schools girls across the country. This curriculum enables the girls to focus on hands-on and practical learning thereby providing opportunities for practical knowledge. It also encourages girls to work in teams to build and create technology thus providing learning in a fun and engaging way.”

She explained that the SmartWoman Project of the government was a mobile service conceived to support the advancement, development and education of women via the ICT platforms.

She added, “This disparity in adoption of ICT by women and girls globally reveal a big gulf between women and men in the adoption of ICTs that needs to be bridged. It is our hope that the effective implementation of these initiatives in schools across the country will go a long way in removing the barriers that discourage girls from embracing careers in ICTs.”

According to Johnson, her ministry will ensure that the Nigerian child has greater chances and opportunities in the ICT sector because of the immense contributions it can bring to their lives.