Federal government yesterday at the Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, Abuja launched twelve (12) information and communication technologies (ICTs) Digital Girls (ICT) Clubs across the six geo-political zones to motivate early adoption to empower and encourage girls in high schools.
The Digital Girls ICT Clubs initiative is expected to empower 1200 girls from 12 pilot secondary schools in the first instance and the clubs will be set up across all the federal government colleges in all the states of the federation later.
A curriculum that will excite, transform and positively impact on the girls has been developed and the curriculum, the girls will be taught relevant technology skills that will transform their lives. A portal has been created to act as a key tool for also stimulating and empowering the girls to embrace and adopt ICTs.
In her remarks at the launch, minister of communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, said the initiative will also help demystify ICTs and project technology as a viable career option that can empower and impact positively on the future of the girls in Nigeria.
The minister explained that the Digital Girls Club is part of the girls and women initiative of the federal government geared at bridging the digital gap between males and females across the country.
According to her, the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in a bid to empower women and girls in Nigeria created a gender empowerment scheme titled “Girls and Women in Nigeria (G-WIN),” with the sole aim of positively impacting and improving the lot of women and girls.
To march word with action and ensure the successful implementation of this initiative, Mrs. Johnson revealed that, five ministries- ministry of communication technology, agriculture, works, health and water resources signed, memorandum of understanding with the ministry of women affairs and finance to empower women and girls through specific interventions and services geared at improving the lives of women and girls.
‘’We need to increase the participation of women and girls in ICTs,” the minister said, adding that getting more girls into ICTs is a task we are committed to at the ministry of communication technology.
“It is critical to get girls to adopt ICTs so that they are not left behind in the digital revolution changing communities and nations across the globe. Our desire is that the Digital Girls ICT Clubs will empower Nigerian girls and lead to the development of an army of ICT compliant girls that will contribute to the economic growth and empowerment of Nigeria in the future.’’
She also disclosed that the ministry of communication technology, a key partner in the G-WIN project is empowering women and girls through specific technology initiatives it has identified and developed to empower and enable Nigerian women and girls actualize their potentials.
