Students in the rural
communities have called on the organisers of the Summer Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to extend this year’s edition to the rural areas.
They argued that the intention of the state government to make students ICT compliant would not be complete if the rural students were not carried along.
One student, Ibuchi Orji from Community Secondary School Igwuruta noted that the state government would achieve its goal if the ICT summer training could cut-across the 23 LGAs in the state.
She said that concentrating in the state capital alone would not only deny some desiring students the opportunity to be trained, but would discourage them totally from the programme due to the distance.
Orji recalled that a similar call was made sometime ago, but regretted that it was not given the needed attention.
The Tide learnt that the annual ICT-farm organised by the state’s department for ICT has for about four years now, organised summer training for all students residing in the state.
The programme, normally fashioned to accommodate 400 students per year, has trained about 1,600 students so far.
Another student, Morrison Orlu, noted that such practices were obtainable in the Western world, adding the need to push it to nooks and crannies of the state.
He maintained that ICT was one of the world’s leading inventions which according to him, should be treated as a necessity for all students.
Others, however, called on the Engr Goodliffe Nmekini-led ICT group, to increase the number of students for the holiday training and commended him over what they tagged as show of  professionalism.