Bayelsa govt. trains 100 secondary school girls on techpreneur

Bayelsa Government has commenced training of 100 girls selected from its model secondary schools on technology entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the opening of the three-month training in Yenagoa, the Executive Secretary of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF), Mrs Alice Atuwo, said that the programme that would enable the participants to deploy technology in solving problems.

Atuwo said that EDTF had earlier organised training on Coding and Robotics for 103 students in SS I and SS II classes during the summer camping programme in October 2022.

According to her, the current programme, which is free of charge, is being funded by Odyssey Educational Foundation.

“After participating in a technovation programme like this, it will arouse your interest in technology leadership.

“A greater percentage of you, the beneficiaries, will enroll in more computer-related courses in your respective schools.

“Others can go on to develop business plans which you can present at business events, meet with world business leaders and eventually start your own businesses.

“You can also go on to support the next cohorts of technovation girls in return. The end result is that technovation changes girls/students’ lives for good and the society is better for it.

“This is what Odyssey Education Foundation is introducing to 100 girls in our model secondary schools,” she said.

Atuwo expressed appreciation to the foundation, considering the fact that jobs were scarce and most secondary school leavers were unemployable.

She urged the participants to take the training seriously, stating that some mentors would meet with them in their schools.

Atuwo noted that since 2010, more than 39,000 girls from more than 100 countries had gone through technovation programmes and had learnt how to create “Apps” to solve various problems and/or produce mobile app startups.

She appealed to parents and leaders of various organs and organisations to encourage and support the girls in any way to succeed and become proud members of their families, communities and the state.

Speaking earlier, the Programme Director of Odyssey Educational Foundation, Stella Uzockukwu-Dennis, said that the training was aimed at bringing the state up to speed with the constantly-changing digital world.

She said that the programme would provide technological knowledge, adding that it was for those between the ages of eight and 18.

The programme director said that it would also allow the beneficiaries to solve problems, using technology and make money as well as develop business plans and how to start them.

On his part, the Commissioner for Education, Mr Gentle Emelah, said that the programme would make the girl- child in the state to be a breadwinner in her family.

Emelah urged the trainees to take advantage of the training which, he said, would be a life changer, adding that government was interested in their future and wellbeing.