NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Brunel University, FCTA partner to commercialise students’ entrepreneurial ideas

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By Philip Yatai

The Education Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Brunel Business School, Brunel University, London, have partnered to strengthen entrepreneurship among secondary school students.

Ainurul Rosli, Professor of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Brunel University, stated this in Abuja on Monday, at the unveiling of the Brunel-FCT Innovation Challenge, towards building a better Abuja.

Rosli said that the partnership was designed to transform students’ ideas to bankable products that solved societal problems.

She explained that the challenge was to encourage young Nigerians in Abuja to explore their local environment, identify needs and gaps and develop innovative solutions to improve their community.

“The students will assess what their local area offers, identify what is missing, and propose improvements or future development for the community to benefit through entrepreneurship.

“They will also explore science and technology-based products, services and innovations to address local challenges.

“The main goal is towards building a better Abuja for everyone, making it a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Nigerians,” she said.

She said that the programme, which would run from January to March 2025, would be opened to all secondary schools in FCT.

According to her, the students will work in groups of five, to find solutions to local problems entrepreneurly.

Rosli added that Brunel team would mentor the students, through monthly online sessions, and guide the teachers and the students to upgrade and make their ideas commercial.

“The goal is to make sure that our students are equipped to become entrepreneurs by choice.

“This will not only support the economy of Nigeria but also empower communities to collaborate in solving local problems.

“Nigerian students have spectacular ideas, but the next step is how to support them to grow these ideas – how can we commercialise it; how can we make it better, and I think that is what we came here to do,” she said.

She said that making a better Abuja and better Nigeria was not only about coming up with a product, but the product that addressed community needs.

She, however, said that in doing this, the product should not hurt the environment and the people it was designed to help.

According to her, most of the previous entrepreneurship narrative is all about coming up with products to make money.

“I think entrepreneurship for better Nigerian and better Abuja is about the community and about the heart of Nigeria, in line with the nation’s anthem.

“If we can get children to solve the problems at the heart of Nigeria in Abuja, we will see a better Abuja and a better Nigeria.”

She disclosed that the partnership had also reached out to several partners, such as banks, government agencies, Abuja Chambers of Commerce, and Lagos Chambers of Commerce among others.

“These are the intermediary partners that we will be working with, and hopefully, some of the pitch that the students would come up with, would be commercialised with their support,” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Olobashola Kolawale, Director, Science, Technology and Innovation, FCTA Education Secretariat, said that the partnership had reinforced entrepreneurship training in FCT secondary schools.

Kolawale noted that entrepreneurship training in FCT schools was not yielding the desired results because of the gap between transforming ideas to reality.

He said that principals of secondary schools had been trained under the partnership on how to entrench practical aspects of entrepreneurship training in secondary schools.

“The partnership with Brunel University is already changing this narrative, because it has equipped us with practical knowledge on how to support students bring their ideas to fruition,” he said.

One of the trainees, Mr Musa Zuru, Principal, Government Secondary School, Kubwa, said that the training had helped him to support students to practicalise what they have learned.

“Now our students are thinking and promising solutions to environmental and community challenges profitably,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Foundation inaugurates robotics, AI coding initiative in Abuja school

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By Diana Omueza/Angela Atabo

Quearex Tech Empowerment Foundation, in partnership with Orixine Consulting, has inaugurated a pioneering two-day robotics and AI coding programme at Government Secondary School (GSS) Kubwa, Abuja.

Mr Sunday Agbo, Director-General of Quearex Tech Empowerment Foundation, on Thursday in Abuja, said the initiative commemorates the 2024 International Code Week.

He said the programme aimed to equip secondary school students with essential skills to thrive in a tech-driven world, providing hands-on experience in AI and coding.

“This initiative inspires creativity, fosters problem-solving skills, and promotes teamwork.

“By focusing on foundational knowledge of AI and robotics, we empower students to navigate the rapidly advancing technological landscape,” Agbo said.

Agbo emphasised the importance of preparing Nigerian students for digitalised learning, pledging to provide tools, guidance, and support to develop young talents.

Mr Audu Arome, Executive Director of Orixine Consulting, highlighted the significance of partnerships in achieving sustainable impact in technology-based education.

“Collaboration creates an environment where young people gain essential skills to thrive in a competitive landscape.

“The coding and AI programme aligns with the Federal Government’s directive to integrate robotics and AI into the basic education curriculum,” Arome said.

Arome noted that emerging technologies could help reduce inequality and bolster economic growth, emphasising the potential for Nigeria to leverage AI in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

He said through workshops like this, students would develop practical solutions to real-world challenges, preparing them for future opportunities in a globally interconnected workforce.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Girl Child Day: Military officers’ wives inspire girls to pursue dreams

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By Sumaila Ogbaje

The National Defence College Officers Wives Association (NDCOWA), on Friday sensitised the female students of NDC Day Secondary School Shafa, Abuja to the need to pursue their dreams in commemoration of International Day of Girl Child.

International Day of the Girl Child is an international observance day declared by the United Nations first celebrated on Oct. 11, 2012.

The observation supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender.

The Coordinator of NDCOWA and Wife of the Commandant of NDC, Mrs Rhoda Olotu, said the programme was aimed at educating the girl children to pursue their dreams and careers, as well as encourage them.

According to her, gone are the days where girls are relegated to the kitchen, when women’s duty is only to have children.

“These days we have female pilots, military personnel, doctors, engineers, and in all spheres of life, and they are doing very well.

“As women, or as a girl child, when we are given tasks to carry out, we carry out our duties and responsibilities even more than the men, because we are multitasking.

“A woman can do ten things at the same time.

“A woman has ten hands, she doesn’t just have two hands but ten hands.

“So as a girl child, I am just here to encourage you to please pursue your dreams. If you want to be a doctor, do not allow anything hold you back,” she said.

Olotu urged the children to be focused by being obedient to the instructions of their parents and teachers while studying hard.

She also sensitised the girls to always clean up themselves to avoid body odour as well as maintain proper hygiene.

She used the event to educate the girls on the use of sanitary pad and other requirements needed to keep them clean and safe.

The Provost, NDC Centre of Strategic Research and Studies, Prof. Adam Ahmed, commended the association for organising the event and appreciated the commandant for being creative and innovative.

Ahmed said the event had provided a rare opportunity for the girls to be what they want to become, adding that he believed in the ability of the girl child.

“You have everything it takes to realise your dream, to be one of the best in whatever career you take.

“For two-year consecutively, or three-year consecutively, the best graduating cadet in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) were females.

“So it means even at that level, at that military university level, the girls are not doing bad. They are doing exceptionally very good.

“So you can tell yourself, I’m going to be very, very good,” he said.

The resource person, Dr Jumoke Jenyo, of the Department of Conflict, Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Studies, NDC, urged the girl children to believe in themselves, have defined vision and be what they want to be.

Jenyo said that the girl children had the capacity to be better than their male counterpart in all endeavors.

She urged them to write their visions in form of who they want to be one, as well as the future and change they want to see.

“It is not enough that you have a dream,you must work to achieve it

“As you are growing up, you must prepare yourself because there are challenges but you must see those challenegs as your stepping stone,” she said.

The event was climaxed with the distribution of packs of toiletries to the students. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

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