Ekiti State Boosts Digital Literacy as 910 Secondary School Students Get Free Laptops.

Ekiti State Boosts Digital Literacy as 910 Secondary School Students Get Free Laptops.

As part of the government's efforts to boost digital literacy, the wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Oyebanji Olayemi has launched the distribution of 910 Laptops  to 35 secondary schools across the state.

The laptop distribution, is part of a World Bank Project; 'Adolescent Girls' Initiative For Learning and Empowerment (AGILE)'.

At the ceremony in Ado- Ekiti, the Governor's wife said additional 1,690 laptops will be distributed to 65 more secondary schools in the next two months.

She explained that the project was designed to improve secondary education for the adolescents  with special focus on girl child, urging stakeholders to  collaborate with the state's Ministry of Education, Science & Technology to enhance the  effectiveness of the project.

"You will recall that one of the pillars of this administration is Human Capital Development which can only succeed if a good and sustainable education foundation is laid.

"It is also a fact that a well-structured education is a veritable ingredient of our Youth Development and Job Creation Pillar", she emphasized.

Dr Oyebanji noted that the laptop distribution and other AGILE projects like renovation of schools and provision of educational materials would  attract school-age children to the classrooms as well as keeping them in school to complete their education.

The Governor's wife also announced that a total sum of twenty five million US dollars was allotted to Ekiti State for the project by the world bank for the renovation of dilapidated buildings in the public secondary schools, procure computers, provide safe spaces in schools, training of teachers and students in digital and life skills.

She however appealed to parents and guardians to be actively involved in the upbringing of their children and wards by giving them needed support, checking on what they do, getting interested in what bothers them as well as assisting them in navigating through life.

Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye, called on the benefiting students not to use the laptops for cyber crimes, adding that parents should endeavour to  monitor the students so that the facilities would be used for educational purposes.

The AGILE State  Coordinator, Mrs Yewande Adesua said the project was aimed at reaching out to 3million beneficiaries through the provision of accessible space for learning, increase school enrollment and Rehabilitation of educational facilities.

The Deputy National Coordinator, AGILE Project, Mrs Ajanigo Abuka said the seven participating state are Borno, kaduna, kano, kastina, Plateau, kebbi and Ekiti which is the only benefitting state in the southern part of Nigeria.

 

She stated that the project was expected to contribute towards Nigeria's achievements and urged stakeholders to support the implementation of the project inorder to deliver the benefit to all a targeted areas that were in need of the intervention.

In their Good will messages, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Science and Technology, Dr Bimpe Aderiye, commissioner for finance, Mr Akintinde Oyebode, Chairman House Committee on Education, Mr Johnson Oyekola Bode-Adeoye, and SUBEB Chairman, Prof. Femi Akinwumi, who was represented by his Director of social Mobilisation, Mr Tope Babalola said Ekiti State would be on the global map if the project is effectively monitored.