CODING: Odu’a Investment Foundation Trains 106 GCI Students
•By Oyeniyi Awojoodu, Ibadan
IBADAN – The charity arm of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Odua Investment Foundation (OIF), has successfully trained no fewer than One hundred and Six (106) Government College Ibadan (GCI) students in Coding and Programming languages.
The project which was named Digital Education for Innovation and Economic Development, (DEFINED), was inaugurated on October 27, 2023, at the Lagos Airport Hotel and was aimed at training students across the six states in the South West zone.
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The epoch event was well attended by representative from all the south western states of Nigeria in attendance, the project, ably directed by Professor Seun Kolade of Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University aims at empowering Yoruba youths for the digital age.
The first endeavour under the (DEFINED) Project, according to one of the OIF Project officers, Adeyinka Babalola, is the Byte Busters after school coding club which has been launched in 3 different schools in the six Southwest states.
In Oyo State, the Byte Busters Coding Club was launched at Government College Ibadan, enrolling 106 students who had undergone a two weeks intensive hands-on summer training in writing coding and programming languages.
Speaking in her address, the Acting Executive Secretary, Odua Investment Foundation, Mrs Abiola Ajayi note d that the (DEFINED) Project was designed to contribute to the development of digital skills among yoruba youths through thr creation of after school coding clubs, among other intervention.
Mrs Abiola saluted the students encouraged them to keep learning because their resilience, creativity and curiosity will shape the next generation of technological advancements.
In his address, Oyo State Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu said the DEFINED Project is a laudable one and which the Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde fully endorsed.
He stressed that the goal of the DEFINED Project is to ensure that students have ample opportunities to play around computers in order to bring up technological innovation that can equate to economical development. He advised the students to put their minds at what they are being taught and to keep doing it in order to get better by the day.
Speaking to newsmen on the essence of the project, the Project officer for the DEFINED Project, Mr Temilorun Okediji posited that the project is aimed at promoting digital literacy across the six Southwestern State and that the Byte Busters Coding Club which is an initiative of the DEFINED Project, at demystifying the myth that coding is difficult. This has led to public schools students being taught how to build computer programmes and how to write codes.
He said that apart from Government College, Ibadan, the DEFINED Project has been launched in St. Bernadine’s Girls Grammar School, Oyo and Kishi Community Grammar School, Kishi.
He further explained that the Byte Busters Coding Club is a permanent club in any school the DEFINED Project is launched and the club will ensure that a four years curriculum is drawn which will allow the students to continue learning even as they move up in their academic classes.
He also expressed the readiness of the project to also train and promote digital literacy among the teachers too while giving the assurance that the Byte Busters Coding Club would be established in all the 137 local governments in the southwest.
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One of the students who spoke to newsmen expressed gratitude to Odua Investment Foundation for the opportunity given to him to be trained while noting that it is a great day for him. He gave kudos to the Government for supporting the project and Government College, Ibadan for the support given to the students.