By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Government has commenced a free Summer Digital Coding class for students of public secondary schools across the state.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, on Monday, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Innovation, Hon. Kayode Ishola, said the summer coding class is to equip them with digital skills to enable them compete with their global counterparts.

Designed to run for six weeks, the programme, organised by the Office of the Special Assistant to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Digital Innovation, Hon. Kayode Ishola, holds across six centres in the three senatorial districts of the state, with students between age eleven and fifteen as participants.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Secondary School Ilorin, Ishola said the state government is encouraging mass digital literacy among the youth so that they will not be left behind in the digital age.

“The government understands that for the students to have a competitive edge globally, they need to have digital skills, especially now that external exams like JAMB, WAEC and NECO are now computer based,” he told reporters on the sideline of the training.

The administration is known to have heavily invested in a technology-driven programme – KwaraLEARN — to build the capacity of students of basic classes on ICT.

“We received over 1,000 applications from students of public schools, both through online and at the designated centres, but only 500 were selected, having met the eligibility criteria for participation,” he said.

In attendance were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Policy Formulation and Human Capital Development Dr Adetola Salahu; Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations Kolo Majin Isaiah; and Principal of the Queen Elizabeth School, Senior Session, Hajia Gobir Bola Habibat.

Dr Adetola Salahu said the training will boost critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills among the students of public schools so that they can compete with their global counterparts.

Queen Elizabeth School Principal, Hajia Habibat, praised the government for the initiative, which she said will go a long way in engaging the students productively during the holiday season.

Some of the participants, who spoke with newsmen, such as Yusuf Ibrahim and Muhammad Ayisat, appreciated the state government for exposing them to digital skills, promising to make good use of the knowledge to advance national development.