By Bukola Olamona

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Young girls have been admonished on the need to embrace Information Communication Technology for them to be competitive in the 21st century.
An ICT Expert, Mr Sam Awolumate made this known while addressing secondary school girls on this year’s International Girls in ICT Day with the theme “Connected Girls, Creating Brighter Futures” which was organized by Ibrahim Babainna Foundation in collaboration with Kids & Teens Resource Centre and His Marvelous Grace Support Foundation.
Mr Awolumate explained that women are doing extremely well in ICT and are influencing their world positively .
He said they can make great impact in sciences if they embrace it .
In her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs Lola Amuda represented by the Director, Community Education Resource Centre, encouraged girls to embrace science and technology – assuring them that government would create the enabling environment for them to thrive.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Kids & Teens. Resource Centre, Mrs Folasade Bamigboye said the celebration of the day became imperative to mentor girls on the need for them to embrace ICT to enable them remain relevant and thrive in life.
The founder of Kids & Teens Resource Centre, Martin-Mary Falana also emphasized the need for the narrative to change from the usual gender stereotype of a particular career but parent should help build the skills of their girls in ICT.
Martin-Mary condemned in totality the believe that girls should be restricted to the kitchen saying that great women are influencing their world in the ICT sector in the present 21st century.
He maintained that the NGO would continue to do its best to ensure that girls are mentored to achieve success in every spheres of life.
Some of the girls who spoke with The Hope were delighted as they described the lecture as an eye opener in their quest to choose a career path.
Green Lab and TME Education team took the girls through hands on session on coding, creating of ICT solutions as well as the making and usage of drone and other ICT inventions at the programme.
Similarly the Ondo State Information Technology Agency, SITA was on ground to educate the girls on the need to change the narrative from the usual Africa traditional setting that relegate the girl child.
One of the schools, St Peter’s Unity Secondary School that is currently benefiting from the capacity building project on Compost and Biogas being implemented by Kids & Teens also displayed a Biogas plant built by the students.
Schools present include St. Louis Girls’ Grammar School Akure, Fiwasaye Girls Grammar School, Akure High school among others.