The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in collaboration with Ndukwe Kalu Foundation (NKF), has begun training of secondary school students in Kano on essential basic digital skills.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training, which is expected to last four-weeks, drew beneficiaries from Government Girls College (GGC), Kano, Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Dukawuya and some students with disabilities.
Speaking during the flag-off of the training at GGSS Dukawuya, the Project Officer, Mrs Yesmin Salako, said the initiative aimed to raise awareness about digital rights.
Salako, represented by the CITAD’s Training Officer, Mr Kamilu Isah-Ahmad, also said the centre aimed to promote online safety and teach students how to navigate the internet confidently and securely.
“Our goal is to ensure that students, including those living with disabilities, understand their digital rights and can protect themselves online.
“We want them to use the internet with confidence, free from fear of hacking, bullying or any form of third-party interference,” she said.
Salako also said that the training was part of a broader project being implemented in Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“We believe that access to digital education should be inclusive, and that is why we are reaching out to students in multiple regions,” she added.
In her remarks, the Principal of GGC, Kano, Hajiya Hauwa Nuhu-Wali, commended CITAD and the foundation for bringing the initiative to the students.
“This training is timely and very important. Our girls need to be safe online and also learn how to benefit from the many opportunities the digital world offers,” she said.
She appealed for more of such programmes in schools, particularly for female students, who often face greater challenges navigating digital spaces.
“We are grateful that CITAD is thinking about our girls. I hope more organisations will follow this example,” Nuhu-Wali added
Amina Yusuf, a participant a from GGSS Dukawuya, said, “I want to know how to use the internet better and also how to protect myself online.”
NAN reports that the event attracted staff and students of the schools, who express enthusiasm about the skills they stand to gain.
The training will cover basic internet use, digital communication tools and how to identify and avoid online threats.