Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Laos — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has donated a fully equipped Information and Communication Technology, ICT, centre to the Community Secondary School, Sangana-Akassa in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The centre consists of 31 units of desktop computers (with a one-year Internet subscription), servers, a Wowbii Interactive Board (which makes it possible for lessons to be taught and received, questions asked and answered, from locations far apart), a printing system, and facilities for solar power along with a back-up power generating set.
The gesture, which is the latest in a long list of such facilities built, equipped and handed over to secondary schools in the six geopolitical zones of the country, is intended to promote digital literacy and acquisition of professional IT skills as well as enhance research interest among students at an early level.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination of the NCDMB, Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile, explained that the ICT Centre was part of the Board’s programme for capacity building, and that students should have exposure to modern technology and associated devices early enough in their education.
While commending the community for the very warm reception accorded the NCDMB team, he enjoined the people, particularly the Council of Chiefs and the youth leadership to know that the ICT facility is their own project. He challenged them to ensure safety and proper use of what has been provided to encourage the Board to consider them for other future support.
He assured that “NCDMB will work with this community,” but sounded it clearly that personnel from the Board would be visiting the school from time to time to check on how the ICT Centre was being put to use.
Barr. Kikile commended members of the National Youth Service Corps serving in the school for their invaluable services and disclosed that the NCDMB is undertaking support programmes for rural schools under its Back-to-the-Creeks Initiative to make them attractive for service.
After the ceremonial tape-cutting, the NCDMB team, school officials, chiefs and youth leaders, were ushered into the main hall where the computers were installed for demonstration of how the Interactive Board and other facilities could be used.
The Manager, Zonal Coordination, Mr. Joseph Adebayo, said NCDMB has brought modern technology and quality education to the doorsteps of the people. He revealed that “The NCDMB wants the ICT Centre to be a CBT (computer-based test centre),” which would be very beneficial to the school as persons seeking to do external examinations and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, would be there to register.
Earlier, the Sangana Council of Chiefs, through its spokesman, Chief Tekena Nelson Oki, commended the NCDMB for building and donating the ICT centre to the community. They expressed optimism that the project will bring knowledge and progress to their people.
The principal of the school, Ms. Maureen Digitemie, thanked the NCDMB for the gesture, which she believes would facilitate teaching and learning. She promised that the school authorities would take appropriate measures to protect the equipment at the Centre.
The student population, through their own spokesperson, Miss Rita Dennis, equally expressed their appreciation to the Board.
