To underscore its commitment to nurture a new generation of digitally literate and innovative young minds, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy has announced its partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, to launch Code Clubs across Nigeria.
Specifically designed for students aged 7 to 17, Code Clubs are a network of extracurricular programming clubs developed to nurture a new generation of digitally literate and innovative young minds in Nigeria.
These clubs, which will initially start from 17 knowledge exchange centres, will further expand to other locations across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The young participants will be introduced to the world of coding and digital technology and be encouraged to deploy creative problem-solving in their everyday lives.
“Our journey towards positioning Nigeria as the go-to market for technical knowledge cannot be achieved without creating a knowledge pipeline that is represented by these young, impressionable minds,” said Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy.
“By joining a global network of free coding clubs supported by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we are confident that our plan to rapidly grow Nigeria’s digital economy through the deepening of technical knowledge and development of talent is on course.”
As part of this partnership, the Raspberry Pi Foundation will provide comprehensive toolkits, support, and guidelines for educators and young learners, while the Ministry will facilitate the establishment and operation of the Code Clubs across the country using a partnership model.
The partners, who will be made up of individuals, educational institutions and organizations passionate about promoting computing education in their communities will receive support, resources and operational guidelines from a designated central organisation.
Philip Colligan, Chief Executive Officer of the Raspberry Pi Foundation said: “We are excited to be partnering with the Nigerian Government to inspire the next generation of digital makers. Code Clubs are a fantastic way to give young people the opportunity to get creative with computers and digital technologies, opening up a world of possibilities.”
The learning paths to be provided for Code Club partners will cover a broad spectrum of coding and technology-related subjects including Introduction to Coding, Basic Concepts, Game Development, Web Development, Programming Languages, Algorithms and Problem Solving, Robotics and Electronics, and Project-Based Learning.
The partnership between the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy and the Raspberry Pi Foundation to establish Code Clubs for kids represents a significant and forward-thinking initiative aimed at preparing the younger generation of Nigeria for a digital and technologically advanced future.
