Adamawa to introduce computer science in secondary schools

Remmy Nweke in Yola

Adamawa State government in the north-east part of Nigeria, would soon introduce computer science in selected secondary schools across the state, just as it has expressed commitment to the growth of Information Technology (IT) within its domain.

Governor Boni Haruna disclosed this at the opening of the 20th annual national conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) in Yola, capital of Adamawa state.

The governor who was represented at the occasion by the deputy governor, Alhaji Bello Tukur, said plans have been advanced to introduce this course into the secondary school curriculum of the state.

This, he noted was in addition to computer science course at Adamawa State University and Adamawa Polytechnic.

Adamawa, Alhaji Tukur said, is committed to development of Information Technology (IT) through out its landscape, stressing that a step has been taken by creating a website for the state where it now showcases kind of services and activities available in the state.

This, he said now avails the outside world the opportunity to interface with potentials abound in the state.

Welcoming the society to the state, the deputy governor congratulated NCS for the choice of Adamawa for the 20th conference.

According to him, the theme of the conference “Framework for IT penetration in rural Nigeria: Bridging our Digital Divide (FITPEN)” is timely considering the need to integrate the rural populace.

He recognized IT as a common denominator of 21st century and tools for socio-economic interaction.

“It behoves on all of us to be part of the crusade to ensure that IT is taken to the rural areas,” he said.

Adamawa government, he said, has embraced IT as it has commenced steps towards developing its IT strategic action plan.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Iya Abubakar, tasked members of NCS to come up with a concrete recommendations and agenda for possible implementation.

The resolution, he said, should include those living in the rural areas, and a way of capturing the Nigerian IT market for global audience and most importantly the IT hub of Africa.

NCS President, Dr. Chris Nwannenna, said that the group is not comfortable with the plans by the government to acquire $100 laptop being championed by the One Laptop Per Child foundation in the United States, because the professional experts advice were not sought in the initiative.

He warning that it would not take the path of an attractive PC project which ended up being the first generation of microcomputer consisting of PC XTS.

According to him, the recent Outsourcing committee by the government without members of NCS may not have the hindsight of the industry.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D