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T. R. A. I. N. I.
N. G |
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Lack
Of Infrastructure, Bane Of Nigeria's IT Literacy
Growth
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The
paradigm shift to knowledge-based economy sweeping
across the globe has necessitated the emergence
of training institutions that will churn out the
required manpower expected to drive this new economy.
One of such institutions is Lagos-based Predan
System Limited.
In this interview at our corporate head-office,
the firm's Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Kunde,
told IFEANYI OSUEKE and THERESA UMEH that the
institution is poised to add its quota to the
development of IT literacy in the country.....
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Our
beginning
Predan System Limited was incorporated
in 1991 to do ICT business by way of training,
programming, software development and so
on. We actually started with software development
and have worked with many reputable companies.
At the time we started, we were looking
at the DOS environment because the Windows
was just being introduced into the market.
We had to create a lot of awareness and
training programme for people who wished
to learn to migrate from the DOS to Windows.
So we noticed that people |
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who
had computers on their desk could only put it
on, play with the screen saver and nothing more;
that inspired us to primarily devote our time
for computer training.
I think that the bulk of the trainable populace
is the public sector. We have a larger number
of civil servants that are not computer literate.
Again, employment today is to a large extent dependent
on level of computer literacy and as such the
private sector is also experiencing a boom in
computer literacy.
So people are actually becoming more interested
in the use of computers and this they do by falling
back on trainers. We are therefore, basically
concentrating on training corporate bodies, organizations,
agencies who will be awarded certificates of participation
after the training.
However, for people who wish to get international
certificate, we direct them to those outfits which
we are sure can offer them what they want.
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Our
Competitive Edge
The
sky is so wide, birds can fly. We have good
working relations with most of these brands.
Most of them rely on us for some of their
training jobs. They approach us to handle
some of their training programmes. There
has been an instance when a very reputable
company had to |
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outsource
a training contract with Supreme Court to us and
we did that for the lower cadre to the management
and the justices. So we are in the market, we
have our own clients they have theirs.
We like to autograph our work with excellence;
what stands us out is experience. We got wealth
of experience from programming to training and
we have worked with people who know what IT is
all about. We have worked in the financial institutions;
medical and other sectors. We have that experience
that is required to make the difference.
But I must also say that those who are worried
that our educational institutions are producing
half baked IT graduates are not far from the truth.
Most of the universities and training centres
are more interested in churning out people from
their training centres but the major things that
are required for people to get their job done
are lacking.
This is so because most of them want to make quick
money from students through quick successive enrolment.
What should be done is train a student in line
with what he or she wishes to do with the training
that he is seeking to acquire.
If for instance, a student is taking Microsoft
training, there should be a Microsoft certified
trainer who will train according to Microsoft
syllabus. Take for instance, a Supreme Court judge
who require computer literacy, you don't train
him on how to type a letter, it doesn't make sense
at that age. What he really needs are things like
how to attach his documents, search for references
on case files and so on.
Challenges And Government's
Role
As it is the case in most things in Nigeria, our
major challenge is lack of infrastructure. Most
people don't have computer to practice with and
there is no magic about it; if you don't have
the computer to practice what you are taught,
you miss it. Again, 65 per cent of the problem
is solved if you are ready to sit and work. But
if you are ready to sit and work and there is
no power there is a problem.
That of manpower is also a problem; you hardly
find proper certified manpower. The reason is
that quacks have so much infiltrated the profession
that it is becoming too difficult to pay a professional,
instead they prefer to pay peanuts to quacks who
certainly do not have the necessary requirements.
I think it is also necessary for educational institutions
to introduce IT curricular in their institutions.
Government should encourage IT penetration and
education; this I think they started doing through
various initiatives but, the problem is that these
initiatives hardly see the light of the day. Government
should find a way of ensuring that there are computers
in all the schools at all levels.
What The Future
Holds For Us
The future is very bright for us. We want to consolidate
on our training because we do not want to be selling
boxes as almost everyone is doing right now. We
may in the future look at system security because
of the expanding telecom market; there is need
for system telecom engineers. We want to look
at how to support the telecom companies.
Our aim is to provide training that helps people
do their jobs. So we hope to add our quota to
increasing IT literacy in Nigeria. You know that
some of us did not see computers until the 80s
and that is to say that IT literacy level is still
low. However, I think the ICT literacy level will
grow with time but it is not yet Uhuru.
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Intel
Nigeria Sponsors Science Students To Global Contest |
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Intel Nigeria
has further extended its commitment to the development of science
in Nigerian secondary schools. The world's biggest chip maker partnered
with the Initiative for Sustainable Educational Development (ISED)
and bankrolled the finals of the Nigeria Science fair.
“The
two winning group projects and teams from Dorego private Academy and
Homat Comprehensive College, Lagos, would be sponsored by Intel to
participate and compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering
Fair (ISEF) in Reno-Nevada, United States in May 2009”, said
Bunmi Ekundare, Corporate Affairs Manger, Intel West Africa.
Speaking further on the partnership, Ekundare said Intel is genuinely
committed to partnering with serious minded organisations to develop
science education among college students in Nigeria.
He noted that “this was responsible for the resources committed
to actualise this cause. We are offering Nigerian students and future
leaders a first of its kind opportunity to compete with their colleagues
on a global scale at the 50th edition of the international fair. |
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“The 2009 Intel
International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) will bring
1,600 exceptional high-school science students from more than
50 countries, regions and territories to Reno to compete for
$4 million in scholarships and prizes at the world's largest
science, math, and engineering competition”, said the
Intel spokesperson.
Ekundare expressed delight on the performance of Nigerian
science students whom he said could come tops if given the
right atmosphere and support.
He further expressed readiness |
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and concluded
plans to sponsor the outstanding students and their projects to
the INTEL-ISEF in US. This, he added, will boost science and overall
development for Nigeria and Africa.
At the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the world's
largest pre-college science competition, students have a chance
to dream and create big ideas like: a better way to get fresh water
to victims of natural disasters, a way to help the blind and disabled
access the Internet, or illustrate ground-breaking mathematical
theories and initiative that could make life better and more desirable.
These innovations, and more than a thousand like them, are on display
every year at Intel ISEF, a global celebration of scientific excellence.
Intel ISEF finalists come from a field of more than 65,000 students
who participated in more than 550 regional Intel ISEF-affiliated
science fairs around the world. At the event, science discovery
takes the centre stage
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New
Horizons, Doregos Partnership Produces Youngest MCPs
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The
dream of the Federal Government of Nigeria in producing kids
that will take the country to the next level in ICT is gradually
being achieved through Doregos Private Academy in partnership
with New Horizons.
Doregos has made another history in the country by becoming
the first school to produce the youngest Microsoft Certified
Professional in the area of Client-End Operating system the
Microsoft business solution tool.
Only recently, Davidson Oseremen and Alade Oluwaseun ages
12 and 13 respectively, emerged as the youngest Microsoft
Certified Professional (MCP) in Nigeria. They are SS1 Science
students from Doregos Private Academy; an educational institution
that aspires to be the best and unbeaten in the education
sector.
Microsoft Certified Professional is an internationally recognized
certification programme provided by Microsoft Corporation.
This is tailored to building skills on Microsoft Business
Solutions which focuses on Client-End operating systems such
as Windows XP, Vista e.t.c.
With the skill acquired from this certification, these young
Nigerians stand the chance of securing high paying holiday
jobs as System Administrators, Helpdesk Support Analyst or
a System Engineer. Moreover, the qualification places them
on a higher pedestal when compared with students their age
or class.
It will be recalled that the achievement of these two kids
is similar to that of Bill Gates and Michael Dell who started
their software/Hardware projects at around age 13.
In the light of this the school has fully embraced ICT training
for her students as introduced by New Horizons Systems Solutions
Limited, the initiator and brain behind training of Information
Technology courses in Nigerian Schools of learning i.e. Primary
to Tertiary Institutions.
The school started the ICT Partnership programme with New
Horizons Systems Solutions Limited in 2005, making her the
first school in Nigeria to integrate ICT training into her
academic curriculum from JSS 1 to SSS 3.
It would be recalled that the Proprietress, Mrs C.A. Doregos
made a statement that “as a result of our ICT Partnership
with New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited, we stand a greater
chance of retaining all the trophies and medals we have won
in various ICT competitions in the past; our students also
have a professional touch to computer training.”
By this feat, Doregos products can compete effectively with
their counterparts in Europe, America and Asia as the certification
is recognized worldwide as the main parameter to determine
a candidate's IT skills.
This decision has endeared the hearts of many parents to the
school and records have it that for some parents who came
late to enroll their children at the school it was a case
of being turned back as most of the classes were already filled
to capacity. This development can be attributed to the disciplined
leadership and excellent management style of the Management
and Staff of the school coupled with the partnership formed
with New Horizons.
Since this partnership started, the school has won several
awards both at the State and International Level. In 2008,
the school won the best ICT Students award in Lagos State
(Agu Agatha) and Davidson Oseremen assembled Personal Computer
System at Sheraton Hotel & Tower in 2007.
The school came first in the Young Science Technology Association
competition held in Ibadan and later represented Nigeria in
Brazil for the International Science Expo where Nigeria won
5 medals and 2 trophies. The school won 3 medals out of the
5. She was also first in the National Secondary Schools Intellectual
capacity building competition, and Nigerian Science Fair.
According to the Principal of the Academy, Mr. J.O. Adebayo
“New Horizons without doubt packages World class ICT
curriculum for our students. We are really enjoying it”.
The proprietress, Mrs C.A. Doregos added that “I'm very
happy and excited that my school has produced the youngest
Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs). The students have
been doing excellently in ICT and all areas of Education.
New Horizons has been a blessing to the school in terms of
developing the ICT skills of the Students”.
She strongly recommended New Horizons ICT Partnership programme
to all Schools so that the country can breed world class students
that will innovate technology to change Nigeria.
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| MTC
Offers Namibian Students Laptops |
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Mobile operator, MTC
is offering students and staff members at the University of
Namibia and the Polytechnics laptops at highly subsidised rates
inclusive of broadband Internet access through MTC's 3G/HSDPA
network.
The Namibia Economist reports that students participating in
the laptop campaign need to be in good standing with their institutions
and should not owe outstanding tuition or other related fees
to the University or the Polytechnic.
Dubbed “ConnectED” the programme offers to UNAM
and Polytech student/staff a new Lenovo N500 Cel notebook and
3GB instant broadband units for only N$3,999 (US$402). A monthly
fee of N$50 (US$5) provides an additional data allowance of
300MB. MTC's Managing Director, Miguel Geraldes, |
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laptop initiative is part of MTC's ICT development plan for the
education sector to equip every higher learning student with the
means to improve ICT literacy and build a solid foundation for a
knowledge-based society.
“In addition to the subsidisation of laptops to students at
UNAM and Polytechnic, MTC is also investing heavily in equipping
each of the 1, 000-plus primary schools in the country with laptops,”
Geraldes stated.
The company says the rollout plan to primary schools will be communicated
in due course. The company said it continues to be a major player
in sports sponsorship in the country but is gradually shifting its
attention to the education sector, particularly in areas where it
can make a significant and lasting impact through its core competencies,
which are mobile telephony and ICT. |
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| Sierra
Leone, India Agrees On E-Network Project |
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| A proposal
from India's new High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Shamma Jain,
is paving the way for an Information Technology Centre for Excellence
in the country in the wake of the recent agreement on the Pan African
E-Network project.
According to Computerworld West Africa, the new technology centre
is designed to promote entrepreneurial skills, enhance human resource
capacity and facilitate transfer of technology through implementation
of IT-related training programs, Jain said.
The centre follows other assistance efforts made by India through
the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) and
the Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan (SCAAP). It is
also being built on the heels of an agreement on the Pan African
E-Network project.
“Thirty-two African countries including Sierra Leone have
signed agreements with Telecommunications Consultants India Limited
(TCIL) to implement the Pan African E-Network project,” Jain
said when formally presenting her credentials for her new post last
month to Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma.
Koroma said the E-Network project “holds tremendous promise
for revolutionizing medicine and education in the near future.”
Telemedicine will enhance health care delivery and give doctors
and other medical practitioners in Sierra Leone the opportunity
to send complicated cases to colleagues in India for proper diagnosis,
said Sierra Leone Foreign Affairs Minister Zainab Bangura in a radio
address.
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