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Tag: ICT training

  • EU pledges additional €45m to ICT training

    EU pledges additional €45m to ICT training

    The European Union has pledged an additional 45 million euros to support ICT training under its Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, expand nationwide fibre connectivity, and advance digital public infrastructure.

    EU’s Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy, Inga Stefanowicz, announced this during the fifth Project Steering Committee meeting of the Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria and the launch of the Women Venture Studio Innovation Hub in Kano.

    The initiative, funded by the EU, BMZ Germany, and the Kingdom of Denmark, and implemented by GIZ Nigeria, brought together representatives from government institutions, academia, and the innovation ecosystem.

    According to the EU, the gathering marked an important milestone in extending digital development efforts across more regions of the country.

    She stressed the importance of ensuring that the digital conversation remains national, not limited to one part of the country.

    “We do not want this Steering Committee to remain only in Abuja. That is why we have taken it across the country, from Lagos to Ibadan and now Kano. It is important to recognise the digital transformation happening here in the north alongside progress in other regions of Nigeria,” she stated.

    Stefanowicz explained that the project forms part of a broader EU digital cooperation package valued at 820 million euros.

    She said, “It has been three years of project implementation. This was the first step. There is still progress ahead.”

    Read Also: Firm partners NADF, others to train 15,000 female cassava farmers in Oyo

    According to her, since its commencement, the Digital Transformation Centre has provided training and support to more than 5,300 Nigerians, including 2,060 women and 795 persons with disabilities.

    She added that beneficiaries have gained digital skills, access to start-up support, and entrepreneurship resources.

    The envoy noted that the programme is also piloting digital vouchers to help more individuals and businesses obtain essential technology.

    She noted that, in addition, 40 start-ups and MSMEs have received innovation support, while policy initiatives in four states are contributing to the reduction of digital gender gaps.

    Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, said the agency was committed to a digital economy that works for everyone, especially women and persons with disabilities.

    Inuwa, who was represented by the Acting Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, Dr Ahmed Tambuwal, described the discussions as constructive and strategic.

    He said, “We are here to review progress and to chart the way ahead. We have identified gaps and aligned priorities. Inclusion remains a commitment. We want a digital economy that works for everyone, especially women and persons with disabilities.”

    A representative of the NITDA IT Hub, Victor Odumiuwa, reflected on the positive effects within the university system.

    He said, “Many start-ups have been supported, and many training sessions have taken place. This is helping us scale innovation within Nigerian universities.”

    Looking forward, stakeholders agreed on key objectives for the next phase, including training an additional 5,800 young people, expanding green and digital skills programmes, strengthening ICT employability pathways, and scaling interventions such as mentorship, job market integration, and digital vouchers.

    As the EU-Nigeria partnership continues to advance, the Digital Transformation Centre is demonstrating the results that coordinated international cooperation can deliver for national development.

    With a strong focus on inclusion, the shared ambition is a digital economy where women, youth, and persons with disabilities are fully supported to contribute to a more innovative, resilient, and competitive Nigeria.

  • ‘ICT training in varsities, means to reform’

    By Abiodun Jamiu

    Re-echoing the words of Jelani Aliyu, who said, ‘Our powers lie dormant, that dynamism and those powerful capabilities within us continue to remain inside and unproductive.’ You may argue that we are not standing still, that we are making some progress, but when you observe the pace of technological advancements around the world, you know that we might as well be standing still.”

    In his lecture at the combined convocation of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, with the theme: ‘Ensuring global relevance: Creating a new generation of super Nigerians’ Director-General, National Automative Design and Development Council Jelani Aliyu, said Nigerians’ might at the end remain still while the rest of the world moves on.

    Today, from the far north to the tail end of the universe, technology makes the world function efficiently. It has made digital revolution inevitable. As ‘information technology’ becomes part of the ingredients used in the making of a new order – in the lives of individuals, groups and communities, it is now more pertinent than ever to ensure a technology-driven university system in line with the best global practices.

    It is noteworthy to stress that information and communication technology has made digital inclusion across all spectrum of the society pertinent. Significantly, with ‘globalisation’, the world has become a better place. Down the memory lane, Marshall McLuhan had predicted the interconnectedness of the world societies which according to him, would be as a result of the revolution in the information communication technology.

    In x-raying the term ‘digital inclusion’, to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, it is “the ability of individual and group to access and use information and communication technologies.” It is also “the condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in the society, democracy and economy.”

    Digital inclusion is meant to be a pragmatic, policy-driven tool that addresses the need of individuals and communities. While some argue that tertiary institutions in Nigeria are ripe for a digital revolution, others believe that the system is right on track, and that it is only a matter of time until the desired change can be achieved. Of the differing views, one thing holds true – Nigerian universities need ‘reforming’.

    Government-owned tertiary institutions in Nigeria had surely seen better days. They were once good examples of emerging giants attracting recognition from different countries of the world. But, today, they are left in cold ruins owing to applying technology at a ‘snail pace’. Technology makes it more efficient for lecturers and administrative staff to handle office functions and grading papers, thus cutting down long working hours. But, sadly, Nigerian universities are benighted outright.

    Despite decades into technology age, there are still calls by students and graduates of Nigerian universities to embrace technology. It’s quite worrisome that graduates still wait in the cold to obtain their certificates. Worse still, students in Nigeria wait endlessly for results to be released and queue hour-long to sign forms which could have been done electronically.

    In this age of information explosion, a skill in processing and distribution of data using Information Technology will determine one’s value in the force of work. Pathetic enough, innovation in Nigerian universities is at infancy. The nation’s public universities still rely heavily on the conventional ‘teaching-learning’, meanwhile, universities in other climes have gone ahead leaning towards technology-driven perspectives. These universities publish their course materials via the Internet, updating it regularly and have students that spread across the globe through distance learning programmes.

    Sadly, most of the supporting materials in Nigerian universities are manually obtained and largely outdated owing to the dearth of the needed technological knowledge to meet up with global best practices. It is, therefore, not out of place to submit that ‘poor network and communication imbroglio’ is one prominent obstacle to the integration of ICT in Nigerian universities.

    As the digital age widens continuously, tertiary institutions in Nigeria will have to extend access to ICT broadly. A state of emergency should be declared in our tertiary institutions until the desired effect is achieved. Thus, promotion of research and learning in emerging technologies should be given the utmost priority in a long term plan that will ensure our tertiary institutions are self-sufficient without necessarily relying on government for their running.

    The country is still grappling with inconsistent electricity, something very vital to maintenance of information technology resources.  Truth is, technology and science laboratories cannot run without power. However, some universities have an added advantage owing to the situation of the zone they are based; like sun light in Northwest and Northeast, rivers and dams in North Central and coal deposits in Eastern Nigeria. This will give the universities in the zones the edge to tap these potential at their disposal to keep information technology resources running, thus reawakening the universities as a force to reckon with in the comity of universities globally.

    One cannot gainsay the fact that when technology-driven knowledge is prioritised, Nigeria universities would be tapping into a previously unrecognised potential. For instance, some institutions in the country have taken giant strides in e-learning deliveries; University of Ilorin; University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife today boast of public institutions with best developed ICT system.

    Thus, engaging in innovation and emerging technologies will be a stepping stone for Nigerian universities to becoming flag bearers in the global education scene. Like Jelani Aliyu strongly asserted, until Nigerian universities dance to the tune of technology and build up research outputs, our universities would remain a laughing stock in the global scene. With technology however, Nigerian universities will reclaim their lost glory.

  • Ajimobi’s wife advocates ICT training in schools

    Wife of Oyo State Governor, Dr Florence Ajimobi has said education curriculum should be reviewed to accommodate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the secondary schools.

    Mrs Ajimobi spoke while presenting internet-enabled personal computers (PCs) for use in the computer room of St. Anne’s School, Molete Ibadan to commemorate the 149th Founders’ Day anniversary of the school.

    Mrs. Ajimobi had promised to donate the equipment during the inauguration of an e-library in the school by the 1970-1974 set of the school earlier in the year.

    She maintained that every child must have access to education and must also be introduced to ICT at an early stage because it helps in making great leaders.

    The e-library, which is fully air-conditioned, has 25 personal computers all enabled with internet facility and has education-related soft wares installed. The computers are also gateway to lots of e-textbooks to prepare students for all external examinations.

    The computer room project was initiated by the 1970-1974 Old Girls’ Association of St. Anne’s School, but received support from the wife of the governor to enable the room to serve more students.

    President of the 1970-1974 set, Mrs Bukunola Orekoya appreciated Mrs. Ajimobi for supporting their project, even as she promised to ensure that the school makes judicious use of the computer sets in the education of the students.

     

  • 100 Ifako-Ijaye youths to get ICT training

    The lawmaker representing Ifako-Ijaye II constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Makinde Rasheed Lanre, has pledged to bankroll Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training for 100 youths in his constituency.

    Makinde told reporters on Monday that the beneficiaries will learn Computer Appreciation & Microsoft Office; Desktop Publishing; Graphics Design and Website Designing & Development.

    “Plans have been concluded to give about 100 youths of my constituency the benefit of comprehensive ICT courses. Many people have done computer trainings in the past but on a surface level, I want to make mine different, from the courses and model of trainings.

    “Capable hands have been recruited to do all of this. Before June next year we would have gotten close to 500 beneficiaries who can boast of using their certificate to seek for employment. I will assist them to also be entrepreneurs in the ICT world.”

    The training which is scheduled to commence in the second week of September, will draw beneficiaries from youth groups, community, political, traditional, religious institutions among others.

  • Choice of college for ICT training excites provost

    College of Education Ikere-Ekiti Provost Dr. Mojisola Oyarekua has lauded the choice of the institution to train top hierarchy of Ekiti State Civil Service on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

    She said it was an attestation of the fact that the college has the best ICT facilities and personnel in Ekiti State.

    Dr. Oyarekua spoke at the opening ceremony of a seven-day training for Directors of Administration and Supplies, Directors of Finance and Accounts and Chief Internal Auditors in the Public Service.

    She thanked Governor Ayo Fayose for given workers the opportunity of benefitting from what the college has been dishing out to its students over the years and showcasing its potentials to the outside world.

    According to her, the college has over 500 computers with internet facilities in its e-library, Computer Resource Centre, Programme Linkages Centre, Multi-Media Teaching Centre among other departments that has made the “college to be one of the most reliable, effective and efficient Computer based Test (CBT) centres for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (JAMB-UTME) in Nigeria since the inception of the examination”.

    She explained that the College recently provided Technical support for the Ekiti State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to set up Education Management information for computerisation of results in the Primary Six Leaving Certificate, the Junior Secondary School Examination as well as the Senior Secondary Class 11 Joint Examination in Ekiti State.

     

     

     

  • ICT training for Queen’s College workers

    ICT training for Queen’s College workers

    IN its attempt to assist the Federal Government  bridge the digital divide the Association of Senior Civil Service of Nigeria (ASCSN) has organised an Information Communication Technology (ICT) seminar for workers of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos.

    The seminar held at the Theresa Chukwuma Assembly Hall.

    The teachers and some non-teaching staff attached to the library and accounts departments of the school were taught how to use ICT to write lesson notes, prepare bills and balance the accounts.

    The training, facilitated by CISCO Unites and the ASCSN unit of the college, had as its theme: “Enhancing Productivity through ICT.”

    Principal of the 89-year-old college, Dr Lami Amodu, praised the ASCSN Queen’s College unit for taking the initiative to boost ICT competency of workers at a time when the management is working to improve academic performance.

    “It is, indeed, thoughtful of Comrade Oladejo-led executive to have deemed it fit to organise this type of training, the first of its kind by the union. It is a clear indication that the union and the college management are on the same page in an IT compliant workforce.

    “As I have stated at different fora, the number one cardinal agenda of my administration is the rejuvenation of Queen’s College academic standard. One of the ways to achieve this is the training and re-training of staff, especially in the area of Information Technology,” she said.

    Dr Amodu urged the participants to use the skills gained to improve their productivity.

    Chairman, ASCSN Lagos Unit, Mr Sarafadeen Oladejo, said the training would help many of its members overcome ICT phobia.

    “We embarked on this initiative to compliment the effort of the college management and the Federal Ministry of Education in creating an IT-compliant workforce.  They will be exposed to e-learning, how to use PowerPoint to form lesson note and use IT in the classroom.  We want them to overcome the fear of using IT to teach.  We also want to remind our members of the existence of the union and welcome new employees,” he said.

    Technical Manager, CISCO Unites, Mr Akinwande Olanrewaju, said the training was necessary, considering the shift to digital learning worldwide.

    As the school already had laptops and projectors in each classroom, he said, the teachers also have to be able to use them to enhance the teaching and learning process.

    “These teachers are used to writing on the board, but now they need to do research on how they can get materials online.  Most of them don’t know how to surf the web.  We will teach them.  We have left the era of rote learning.  Pictures help students to remember.  We have e-learning tutorials for the teachers to download on their laptops. We have been partnering the school for a long time,” he said.

    Apart from e-teaching, CISCO exposed the administrative workers to training on  e-registration and e-payment.

    Also present at the training were representatives of ASCSN leaders from the zonal and national levels, including Mr Tony Marshal, who represented Mr Alade Bashir, ASCSN Secretary-General and Mrs Stella Olagunju, former ASCSN Chairman, Queen’s College.

     

  • Lawmaker plans ICT training for youths

    Deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly Rotimi Abiru has pledged his commitment to providing a platform for Information Communication Technology (ICT) education for members of his constituency.

    Speaking at the graduation of 196 youths he sponsored for ICT training in Bariga, Abiru, who represents Shomolu 2 Constituency, said the thrust of the programme was to assist the government in liberating the young ones from poverty and equip them with skills for self sustenance.

    “We have no other choice than to help our people achieve this desire of ICT education because it is simply the only way. And the forgoing made me to contribute a mite to my constituency through organisation of a free Computer Training programme that over 1000 indigent students have successfully benefited from in the last six years.

    “Three best students among the graduands usually go home with a new computer set and accessories, having excelled in the examination with good grades in Desktop Publishing while two best students from the System Engineering Department are given engineering equipment.

    “Also, 190 students would be admitted for the seventh season of the scheme and the admission process will commence soon for Senior School Certificate Holders”, he said.

    Abiru said he has not regretted investing huge amounts in education as one of the tools to improve the well being of the Bariga people, including distributing 60 November/December Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) forms to indigent candidates from different parts of his constituency.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Biyi Mabadeje, who was a special guest on the occasion, commended the initiative, adding that it further complements the state government’s computerisation programmes.

    He urged the beneficiaries to maximise the training and equipment they have been given, describing it as a fish-net for an enviable future.

    Highpoint of the event was the presentation of an aquarium by some of the students to the lawmaker, who later re-presented the aquarium back to the school.

    Abiru, while explaining his reason for re-presenting the aquarium back to the school, said: “I did not organise this programme with a view of getting anything in return from the beneficiaries. So, I am re-presenting the gift back to the school.”