INT’L GIRLS IN ICT DAY 2021: Education of Girl Child is Top On My Agenda, Pauline Tallen says
Oru Leonard
As Nigeria alongside all countries of the world has celebrated the International Girls in ICT Day, 2021 on Thursday 22 April.
The Hon. Minister of Women Affairs in Nigeria, Dame Pauline Tallen who celebrated with the Government Girls Science Secondary School Dutse, Makaranta, Abuja, has disclosed that one of her top priorities is the Education of Girls Child, stressing that the girls’ child education is essential to central development in the country.
The Minister who encouraged the girls’ child to carry science subjects seriously stated, “Education is key to all girls’ child. If we can educate girls, we rest assured that we have educated potential mothers and in turn will in its accord reduce cases of child abuse, GBV and other issues that women are vulnerable to in the society.
“Information and communication technologies have been invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic. They helped us to stay connected and to keep vital services and businesses going.
“Yet almost half the world is still offline – and most of those who lack access to digital technology are women and girls in developing countries. The latest figures from the International Telecommunication Union show a 17 percent gender gap in internet users globally. This is even wider in the least developed countries. In some regions, this gender gap is growing, reinforcing gender inequalities by denying women and girls opportunities to access education, find better-paid jobs, and start new businesses”, she lamented.
She said making technologies available to all is an essential part of building back stronger communities and economies, and addressing many of the world’s most pressing challenges.
“International Girls in ICT Day aims to inspire a global movement to increase the representation of girls and women in technology. Today, let’s recommit to the goal of equal access for young women and girls to opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math”, Tallen noted.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Anthonia Ekpa ably represented by the Director Child Development, Hajiya Jumiah Muhammed in her address, stated that the effect of COVID-19 has exposed untapped potentials in the ICT sector, urging the girls to take ICT related subjects passionately.
Speaking at the event, the President/ Chief Executive Officer, Digital Bridge Institute, Engr. Prof. Mohammed Ajiya elucidated the importance of girls in ICT declaring that his institution has severally supported and would continue to support the girls’ child in ICT as more priority is on the percentage of 60 as to against 40 percent for the boys. He also assured the Hon. Minister of his support to the programs and policies that are ICT inclined.
Also speaking also was the President, Women in ICT, Dr. Chinwe Anyachebelu, she urged the students of the institution to begin to have passion for mathematics as it is the basis for sciences.
The Principal, Government Girls Science Secondary School Dutse, Mrs. Fatima Muhammed thanked the Minister for finding the institution worthy to host her and assured her of her best in ensuring that the students of the institution make the nation proud.
The highlight of the event was the showcasing of the team robot traffic mechanism designed by the students of the institution on ways to curb traffic within the Abuja metropolis.
