YOBE State government in its efforts to computerize schools in the domain, has advanced plans to equip 54 Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) and a model boarding primary schools with a computer room each before the end of this year, reports CHARLES OKOH.
Speaking at the launch of Old Students Computers in School Initiative (OS CISI) by Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN) during the annual Enhancing Information Technology Penetration in Nigeria (EITPIN-08), the state Governor, Senator Mamman Bello Ali, disclosed this and said the initiative would be extended to 116 SSS by the end of 2009.
Gov Ali, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Sidi Karazuwa, also revealed that the state ministries and agencies are now connected with the Internet via the Integrated Telephone Wireless Internet Access using WiMAX technology which was launched in November 2007 in collaboration with Zinox Technology Consortium, in keeping with the promises made at the inauguration in May 2007.
“This is the first for any state government anywhere in the country and this technology is now accessible in virtually all parts of the capital city, Damaturu,” he declared.
The governor noted that the provision of the Internet has provided civil servants in the state, especially at the capital with in kind of environment they have craved for and also afforded those new to Information Technology (IT) the opportunity to understand, appreciate and use the technology meaningfully.
Equally he said that efforts to sustain this scheme through training programme for the workforce to prepare them for the challenges ahead are ongoing.
Technology, he pointed out, is an invaluable tool that allows the human individual to interact and excel in his domain and that once this is appreciated and embraced, societies will see the benefit even in the short them.
Gov Ali emphasized at the event held at University of Lagos’ Centre for Information and Technology System (CITS) Yobe State would not relent until it is ranked amongst the best in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.
In his opening remarks, the National president of ITAN, Dr. Jimson Olufuye, said the OS-CISI scheme is aimed at ensuring that all old students will give their former schools Personal Computers (PCs) by donating same to the organization for onward delivery through ITAN.
He further said that the vision behind OS-CISI is to enhance IT skills among pupils and students in primary and secondary schools in Nigeria while partnering stakeholders into possible delivery of computers with appropriate educational software into all primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Dr. Olufuye said at the first instance, OS CISI is to deploy computers with educational materials to old students (OS) primary/secondary schools at the 1st phase and the OS nominated schools at the secondary level, while the third level, he said, is to deploy PCs to randomly selected schools across the six geo-political regions of Nigeria.
He projected that for a period of 7 years, in three phases a minimum of 25,000 PCs will be distributed in the first phase from April 2008 to March 2010 while 75,000 minimum PCs will be distributed in the second phase beginning from July 2010 to June 2012, while at the 3rd phase a minimum 250,000 PCs will be deployed beginning from September 2012 to 2015.
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