Education
Coding Skills Make Children Globally Relevant
The Olusegun Coding Class has said coding skills will make children to be globally competitive.
Co-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, SR IPD Logistics Company, Mr Olusegun Idowu, said this during the graduation ceremony of 150 students who participated in the 10-day Olusegun Coding 2.0 robotics school held at Obalende Local Council Development Area in Lagos State.
The participants were school children trained in various computer skills, including web development, robotics, game development, graphics design, scratch programme, artificial intelligence, and computer coding.
The training was held in collaboration with Fosters Private Schools, Lagos.
Idowu encouraged the participants to be dedicated to the various skills they learned.
He said, “The coding initiative is a means of using education to reduce poverty, and unemployment because when the children have these skills, it will enable them to be competitive globally. They will have the skills to work remotely against crime and that’s the essence of Olusegun Coding Class.”
“In the first edition last year, we had about 120 children who participated and the impact was enormous. Today, the winner of last year’s edition was here and expressed himself confidently on his knowledge of website development, robotics, and AI.
“The government needs to introduce and start teaching coding in public schools. They also need to train public school teachers in Information Technology so that they will be able to teach their learners.”
Director, Fosters Private Schools, Lagos, Mr Patrick Foster, revealed that over 500 children applied for the training but 150 qualified for the entrance examination.
Deputy Governor of Lagos State Obafemi Hamzat, who was represented by Mr Wasiu Jimoh, added, “Technology is the future and the children are the future. This is an environment where the ‘future meets the future.’ Although two weeks cannot be enough to learn these skills, but it is more than enough to stimulate your interest in this very dynamic world that holds a lot of benefits.”
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.