Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella body of all Information Technology (IT) professionals in the country, has launched a digital skills programme known as the NCS TechMinds Initiative, designed to develop digital skills in children within the ages of eight years and 16 years.
Speaking at the historic launch of the initiative in Lagos on Tuesday, NCS President, Prof. Adesina Sodiya, said: “One of the major goals of NCS is to enhance digital skills and knowledge at all stages of development. Over the years, we have developed the digital skills and knowledge of professionals in the area of Information Technology (IT) and now we felt it necessary to develop IT skills in children within ages eight years to 16 years. All over the world, children who were trained in IT are currently advancing the course of Information Technology. Some of them have started using the knowledge gained from IT to develop products and solutions that are driving global development.”
According to him, NCS wants to use the TechMinds Initiative to train children across all the states of the country though the NCS State Chapters that are already established in all states of the federation.
“We want to train them in IT skills and encourage them to use such skills in empowering themselves. The current startups in Nigeria, who are mainly youths, are doing well, but they would have been doing better by now, if they were exposed to technology skills, when they were younger.
“We have developed the curriculum and the implementation guidelines that will direct us in the implementation of the TechMinds Initiative across the country, through the NCS State Chapters. The initiative will enhance innovation that will boost contribution to Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of Nigeria. It will also expose the children to critical thinking and empower them to develop products and solutions that will drive national development across the country,” Sodiya said.
Chairperson, Education and Manpower Development Committee at NCS, Dr. Florence Babalola, said the initiative would impact the necessary digital skills in children and expose them to the world of technology. According to her, the initiative will engage them and help keep them away from negative activities that could hamper their future.
“The vision of NCS TechMinds is to educate and empower Nigerian children in primary and secondary schools to learn problem solving and critical thinking skills and to make them technology innovators,” Babalola said.
