From Paul Orude, Bauchi

While lovers were celebrating lovers’ day on the 14th of February 2017, 18 students from three secondary schools in Bauchi State, Harmony High School, International Secondary School in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and Heritage Model School), were busy learning new things about computers.

On that fateful day, the students had a lot of fun learning to code in the programme tagged, “Two Hours of Coding: An Introduction to Computer Programming for Secondary School Students” and, organised by Techwomen Bauchi Alumnae, Mrs. Mercy Sosanya, a senior lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi and a 2015 Techwomen Fellow, and Miss Chioma Ezedi, a computer programmer in the ICT Centre of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

TechWomen is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs which empowers, connects, and supports the next generation of women leaders in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) by providing them with access and opportunity they need to advance their careers, pursue their dreams, and inspire women and girls in their communities.

Mr. Ibrahim Onogu, a 2016 graduate of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, trained the students during the two hours of coding which took place at Palmgate Printing Press located at the POWA Shopping Complex, Yelwa, Bauchi.

Ibrahim elucidated on how the internet works by telling the students the story of the web. He then introduced the students to HTML, HyperText Markup Language, which is the most basic building block of the Web. He described and defined the content of a webpage, teaching them about the elements, opening and closing tags and attributes. He also taught them about setting up the HTML document structure, formatting and how to save their documents. The students were super-excited to take turns in building their first static website and opening it.

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Ibrahim, a mechanical engineer and ingenious software developer, fondly called “Uncle Robot” by kids, challenged the students to aspire to become adept at coding, by showing them one of his projects, in which he had written about 13,000 lines of code!

Ezedi spoke to the students about the importance of coding, explaining that learning to code is compatible with any career path they may choose. She also inspired the students by showing them her beautiful “STEMTeers” website, built partly by using HTML.

Chioma and Mercy, assisted by OreOmo Sosanya and Amarachukwu Anene, both teenage girls present at the training, facilitated the training by assisting students who were having minor difficulties following the instructions. At the end of the training, the students were very glad to receive certificates of participation, with some of them asking when the next “two hours of code” would hold.

The programme received support from Mr. Adewole Sosanya the CEO Afresh Enterprises Bauchi and Mr. Vitus Ejiogu, the CEO Palmgate Printing Press. Others on hand to lend support were: Mrs. Ifeyinwa Madu, Chief Lecturer, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Dr. Helen Agu, Chief Lecturer, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Mr. Seun Onarinde of Leadtots and Human Development services, Miss Faith Akinsola, Chemical Engineering student, ATBU and Mrs. Olayinka Anene, Proprietress of Heritage Model School Bauchi.

Parents of the students present were highly appreciated for being proactive in encouraging their wards to participate in the training.