'DIGITEST 2004 to Develop ICT Capabilities in Youths'
By Adebayo Aderoju
The forthcoming DIGITEST 2004 will seek to develop ICT capabilities in young people, the National Coordinator of the programme, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, has said.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos Tuesday, Odusote also listed other objectives of the programme to include promotion of knowledge-based camping for children as well as contribution to poverty alleviation programme of the government by empowering youths with highly marketable skills in word processing, creative designs and web construction.
Pointing out that the programme has held consistently for years starting with year 2000, Odusote stated that, "By the end of the current programme, we would have trained more than 2000 children in ICT usage. Many of the trained kids have found their skills very useful in higher institutions with some of them studying fully fledged ICT courses at universities."
The Coordinated also added that many of the kids have also found their skills marketable while processing admission to higher institutions.
"This year's programme is taking place at Abeokuta Grammar School and its theme is 'Nigeria's Future Without Corruption: Information Technology Approach,'" Odusote declared.
She said the programme, an initiative of Digital Peers International (DPI), is a follow-up to the global knowledge conference which took place in 1997 and 1998 and the West African Policy Seminar of the British Council, as well as the global knowledge conference of Kuala Lumpur, which stressed the need for the West African region to build ICT capability among women and children.
Lamenting that funding has been a challenge with the organisation of the programme, she stated, "Our major problems have revolved round the issue of adequate funding for the programme, especially given our commitment to the ideal of making the programme available to children from average homes. Also we have always been under persistent pressure from children wishing to participate even after the required number of participants have been secured.
In view of the funding challenges, Odusote announced the participating fees for this year's programme as N10, 000, and $200 in case of expatriates.
Odusote explained that the programme this year for children aged between 8-17 years would be held between August 22 to September 3, at Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
She further explained, "Participation will be open to all children, who should either be nominated by their school principals, or enroll directly, as long as they have verifiable skill and basic knowledge of computing and ability to boot system, handle the mouse and simple word processing".
All interested participants are expected to obtain and submit their duly completed forms to the Camp Co-ordinator, preferably online to (www.digitalpeers. org), or at the Information Technology Centre, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Radio House, Garki, Abuja, or at Technology Derivatives, Tisco Plaza, Ikeja on or before Sunday August 22, 2004.
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