News
TechQuest Summer Camps 2017 Receives Access Bank, Others’ Support
Access Bank, ColdStone Creamery and BH Stripes have join the growing list of partners for Africa’s foremost STEM training organization TechQuest.
TechQuest is pleased to announce the opening of its 2017 summer camps on Monday, 17th July, 2017.
Charles Emembolu, co-founder/director TechQuest told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that the flagship holiday program for children aged 6 – 16 – has been running since 2015 and has delivered training to roughly 2000 African kids.
He said, “TechQuest Summer Camp is an intensive 2-week Information Technology Training Program designed for primary and secondary children. Participants will learn the fundamentals of web, animation, robotics and game design using tools and a curriculum at par with their age mates from San Francisco to Beijing.
“At TechQuest, we believe every African child should learn (know) how to program a computer. TechQuest plans to hold 6 camps across Nigeria this summer, with 4 of these camps happening in Lagos. We are targeting a minimum of 30% of the participants being female. Working with partners, sponsors and non-profits, we also aim to have 30% of participants being less privileged or disadvantaged children”.
The Co-Founder explained that the programme is designed to run for 7 hours a day (9am – 4pm), 5 (or 6) days a week from Monday July 17, 2017. TechQuest recently launched its Innovation Centre at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The TechQuest programs are an engaging, fun-filled experience for children in a conducive environment through hands-on interactive lessons and projects.
“In the last 2 years TechQuest has delivered STEM training to over 2000 African children across 5 Nigerian states including Lagos. In 2016, TechQuest partnered Hon Desmond Elliot to deliver training to 1000 Lagos kids in what has become known as one of the largest STEM camps in Nigeria to date. The training was for 2 weeks and held across 4 locations in Lagos State,” he said.
Emembolu added that TechQuest has a mandate to equip African children with the right skillset for the knowledge economy of today and tomorrow.
The platform also targets to deliver STEM education to at least 10000 African kids by 2020. This will be done as FREE sponsored programs, national STEM competitions, weekend clubs and Summer Camps.
Other features of the 2017 Summer Camps include, Ice Cream Fridays at ColdStone Creamery, Office kids at Access Bank Technology Studio, Interactive Quizzes by Tutor Doctor and financial literacy games by Early Savers Club.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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