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+--- Thread: Microsoft Nigeria trains over 10,000 youths on coding (/showthread.php?tid=1495)
Microsoft Nigeria trains over 10,000 youths on coding - Mhiz Rebecca - 12-31-2016
To retool millions of youths around the world on computer science,
Microsoft Nigeria has trained over 10,000 Nigerian youths on
Minecraft Hour of Code Designer during the 2016 Computer Science
Education Week.
Hour of Code is an annual, global campaign held during Computer
Science Education Week to enable beginner coders to create and
share their own simple ‘Minecraft’ game, and is designed to empower
anyone to begin learning the problem-solving and critical thinking
skills required in today’s tech-fueled world.
During this year’s Hour of Code, Microsoft worked with 126 non-profit
organizations and other partners, in addition to 17 of its employees to
hold several coding sessions in 19 states across all 6 geo-political
zones of Nigeria. In the same vein, a ‘ready, set, code’ Hackathon
was organized in Lagos Digital Village to further excite and inspire
young people to realize they can solve problems within a short time
with the right tools at their disposal.
Speaking at the capacity building event, Philanthropies Lead,
Microsoft Nigeria, Olusola Amusan noted that out of over 10,000
trained, about 8,237 students who had no idea of coding before the
sessions could understand Minecraft and build games at the end of
the program.
For the Director, Public Sector at Microsoft, Mr. Hakeem Adeniji-
Adele, “This year’s Hour of Code has been very instrumental in
helping to bring technology and coding closer to children and youth
who are the future of our country. This was a great opportunity to
show anyone that they can learn the basics of computer science in a
fun and engaging way. The participants demonstrated great
enthusiasm throughout the sessions, as well as the willingness to
learn how to build more relevant apps and games in the future.”
“Ultimately, we are persuaded that there is greater awareness of
computer science in Nigeria,” he says.
The tutorial underscores Microsoft’s commitment to ensuring all
young people have the opportunity to learn computer science, an
economic and social imperative in this era of digital transformation
which Microsoft aims to reach students most likely to be among those
without access, particularly girls and minorities.