The students were products of a partnership between Covenant University and international Information Technology (IT) training firm, New Horizons.
Disclosing this, the Managing Director, New Horizons, Mr. Tim Akano said in Lagos that the students were outcome of a recent partnership deal between the two entities, which is just four months old.
He gave the names of these students to include Ogbonna Ikechukwu, Paul Chimdi Dureke, Oladimeji Olatunde, Eze Chinomnso, Sholola Damilola, Paseda Oluwaseun, Fawosire Olufemi and Ofili Chijioke.
Others were Ukuaka Jakpo Ukuemu, Olabamijo Oluwarotimi Bamgbelu Ibilola, Emesiofor Ogonna, and Timi Soyele.
The fascinating thing about this, he noted, was that it’s a record-breaking certification for any group of students from the country to have been made.
He noted that it’s an indication that there is a brighter future for Nigeria as a nation and Africa generally in the quest to bridge the digital divide on the continent.
This, he pointed out was achieved when undergraduates of the university qualified as international Sun Java certified programmers, after a training session being coordinated by the New Horizons for the university.
According to him, the results of the students on display showed 100 per cent success rate and has been formally presented to the students, while the average score of the students was 75 per cent as compared to 59 per cent, which has been the international official pass mark for Sun Java certification assessment.
Mr. Akano added that with this form of excellence, the total man concept of the University has been given a boost as students now imbibe moral integrity, academic excellence and IT professionalism by the time the graduate.
He emphasised that the aforementioned concept will equip the students with attributes and skills to be highly employable by international and local employers as well as making those of them with entrepreneurial spirit to become wealth creators in no distant future following their graduation.
“The students were coached with world-class contents and facilities, which are the hallmark of New Horizons brand in all the 60 countries of the world where it operates,” he said.
He further said that the IT training partnership between Covenant University and New Horizons is a good example of the Federal Government’s much campaigned about Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), describing it as the surest way of jump-starting the comatose economies of most African countries and aligning same with those of the European and American countries that were IT–driven.
He recalled that India and China were one time faced with serious economic depression but were bailed out by focus on IT early enough through PPP alliances.
“And today, they are reaping bountifully from global IT outsourcing market which is in excess of $350 billion annually,” he declared.
The partnership he explained involves installation of international standard computer laboratory and deployment of contents on international IT certifications courses by New Horizons such that the undergraduates will be able to acquire a minimum of four industry qualifications in addition to their academic degrees before graduating from the university.
The students whose ages ranked between 17 and 19 years, equally expressed their joy at having become IT professionals when they are still in school.
No comments:
Post a Comment