In a move to groom youths with technology driven orientation and increase innovation to spur a digital revolution in Nigeria, Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, an independent non-profit foundation that works to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), has partnered with Google to initiate CSFirst Code club in over 100 schools and community centres in Nigeria
The CSFirst Code Club will offer trainings free of charge and facilitate CSFirst and Online Safety curriculum to over 3000 youths across Nigeria.
CSFirst curriculum which is the main component of the code club is a specialised curriculum by Google based on the programming language, scratch from MIT, which helps children and youths to become equipped with 21st century coding skills, problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity thereby empowering them to be able to contribute to personal and community development.
The 2019 Google CSFirst Code Club roll-out is simultaneously happening in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
The curriculum is developed based on real-life and practical themes that includes sports, fashion, game design, storytelling, music etc. hence, every youth can be equipped to learn and understand how they can take advantage of the digitalisation in our world.
Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, a Nigerian registered non-profit, is the West Africa operational partner for the successful experiential international robotics and project-based learning program FIRST LEGO League and recently FIRST Tech Challenge.
Akinniyi Obaide, director of Coderina disclosed after the just concluded official kick-off call with Google; that the target youth within the age range of 9-16 years will participate.
These, he said, include students in secondary school and all technical schools. Participants will also be trained from community centres, libraries, youth camps etc.
“Private and public schools, state and local governments and stakeholders are to signify participation via completing an online form.
“Principals, teachers, parents, religious leaders and everybody should tap into this golden opportunity to start our youth up very early computer programming, a pathway to developing 21 century skills,” Obaide said.
Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson
