Wunmi Semudara
As part of efforts to create gender balance and access to the digital space, A Nigeria-based empowerment organization, Trueneed Stage Empowerment Foundation, has commenced digital literacy training for girl children in Nigeria.
The Foundation organized a program at the secondary school level, for students of GSS Jabi, as a strategy to reach the underserved with access to digital skills and education.
Speaking at the digital training held in Abuja, Dr Olasupo Olufemi Austin, the CEO of Stage Partners Holdings, stated that the foundation is out to bridge the knowledge gap and ensure equity in digital knowledge.
He disclosed that the organisation is set to carve a niche for the female gender in the digital world.
According to him, there are numerous setbacks posed to the gender due to inadequate knowledge and societal limits.
“The foundation will address each of these challenges and empower the concerned women. Under the poverty elevation, we are looking to address the issues that surround women.
” Women are usually not included as expected in all that happens in the society. In the first five years, we are looking at the widows and single parents and our relationship with them will be with those that are economically active.
“We are currently handling the Go digital project, which is speaking about literacy to mainly the female folk.
For every program that we run, there is going to be an impact assessment, there is going to be holding of hands. We will ensure that there is sustainability and that is the only time that the circle is complete, ” He explained.
Mr Femi further mentioned that measures are being put in place by the organization to ensure proper leverage of the acquired knowledge on the part of the participants.
The Director / Secretary FCT secondary education board, Doctor Ladan Mohammed who was represented by the Assistant Director FCT secondary education board co-curriculum division, Mr Itam Nneoye, hinted at the Government’s plan to digitalize secondary education.
“For us in FCT secondary education board we have a director secretary that is a digital director, that is what we call him.
He has gone ahead to ensure that some of our schools have smart classrooms where you can teach from anywhere, and you can interact.
” We are trying to ensure that there is digitalization of the entire secondary education board system which is ongoing as we speak right now.
What the students are learning today, will infuse in them the knowledge that they need to navigate the computer system and the internet generally”, Itam added.
Meanwhile, earlier in her opening remark, one of the Foundation partners, Mrs Morufat Shobanke Ishola noted the relevance of digital literacy in the evolving world.
She implored the participants to take cognisance of the acquired skills and put them to use beyond the learning walls.
” Digital literacy is the passport to the future and should not be toyed with”, she noted.
