Bayelsa trains 100 secondary school girls on mobile app development, entrepreneurship

By Nathan Nwakamma

One hundred secondary school girls in Bayelsa on Teusday completed a three- month training on mobile applications development targeted at solving problems in their neighbourhoods.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was sponsored by the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (BEDTF) and Odyssey Educational Foundation to groom participants for technovation, an international contest for girls.

Speaking at a ceremony where the 100 female students showcased their mobile software applications, acting Chairman of BEDTF, Prof Francis Sikoki, noted that the fund was saddled with the responsibility of supporting education at all levels.

He noted that technology and knowledge had assumed a driver’s seat and hence the need to introduce coding and robotics to 12 model schools across Bayelsa.

Mr Fred Agbedi, lawmaker representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, applauded the BEDTF for the training which would enhance the global competitiveness of the Ijaw Girl-Child.

Chief Bubaraye Dakolo, Chairman Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, noted that technology had become indispensable in the current times and advised parents to inculcate cultural awareness in their children.

Mrs Christy Eteli who represented the governor’s wife, said that the technology training for girls in Bayelsa public schools aligned with the pet project of the governor’s wife for the Girl-Child.

Also at the event which served as South South regional pitch event for technoovation regional semi final selection, Dr Alice Atuwo, Executive Secretary of BEDTF, urged the participants to leverage on the platform to conquer their terrain.

She noted that the training resulted from the fund’s quest for collaborations and partnerships and would serve to close up the gender imbalance for females in the technology space in Bayelsa.

Atuwo explained that the 100 girls into 20 groups in junior and senior categories were competing at the quarter final stages of the 2023 Technovation competition where three teams, one from junior category and two from senior category, would progress to semi final stages.

Team FINZ from Government Model Secondary School Twon Brass, emerged winners for the junior category with a mobile application for booking boat rides.

In the senior categories, team Unique Girls from Government Model Secondary School Ogbia, came tops with IMC tracker application to address irregular menstrual cycle amongst girls and women.

The students of Ijaw National Academy under the auspices of team INA came second with an application to tackle youth unemployment and encourage skills acquisition.

Mrs Stellar Uzochukwu-Dennis , Programme Director, Odyssey Educational Foundation, said that the winners would proceed to the semi final stages of the global competition with competitors from other countries in an online platform.

(NAN)