The Bayelsa Government at the official opening of a three-day training for 50 primary school teachers on creative coding and robotic skills, disclosed that the state government is fully poised to equip teachers in the state with modern technology skills for effective service delivery.
The Executive Secretary, State Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) Board, Mrs Alice Atuwo, said that the training would be followed with the launch of a three-month training of 100 girls in Model Secondary Schools in Bayelsa in Technological Entrepreneurship (Technovation).
She said that the training of the teachers was meant to enhance their problem-solving skills, creativity, and improve mathematical abilities of students in public schools.
Atuwo further said that the EDTF board had earlier trained 103 students in SS1 and SS2 in Coding and Robotics during the Summer Camping Programme in October 2022.
“This time, the programme is funded by Odyssey Educational Foundation and it is free for the participants.
“The benefits of training students in coding and robotics are numerous.
“Research has proved that introduction of coding and robotics training enhances problem-solving skills, creativity, and mathematical abilities of students,” she said.
She described the training as very important.
“Teachers need to be well equipped to help train our students in this body of new knowledge.
“It is the way to go, if we want our students to join the committee of world netizens.
“We appreciate the foundation for this collaboration and partnership.
“They have created opportunities for our teachers,” Atuwo said.
She, therefore, urged the teachers to seize the prospects offered by the training by working hard to excel in any situation they faced.
“The prospects include access to annual grants and scholarships, amongst others.
“Please give your very best and be champions in your field of endeavour.
“For us at EDTF board, it is our resolve to continue to support any worthy cause that would bring advancement to the education sector of the state,” Atuwo said.
Earlier, the Programme Director of the foundation, Stella Uzockukwu-Dennis, said the training was intended to bring Bayelsa at par with the constant changing digital world.
Uzockukwu-Dennis said that training would expose teachers and students to coding languages that could command the computer to function on its own.
According to her, by extension, they will be able to use this knowledge to move and control robots.
“That is where technology is now. 4.0 where the world is currently operating from.
“So, in essence, the project is intended to help Bayelsa children start early.
“With funding from an international donor, called Scratch, we have been able to bring this project to Bayelsa,” Uzockukwu-Dennis said.