Lagos State Government today launched two Coding Centres – Rabiatu Primary School and Akande Dahunsi Memorial School – sponsored by 9mobile for CodeLagos, an initiative of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, with a call on the private sector to key into the initiative designed to make the coding education framework accessible to every student in the state.

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, while launching the programme at Rabiatu Thompson Memorial Primary School, Surulere reiterated the commitment of the State Government to training one million Lagos residents to code.

Bank-Olemoh who was represented by the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo explained that the CodeLagos is a first-of-its-kind initiative that will enable students in the State to harness, create and leverage on the 21st-century opportunities as well as increase their employment and business opportunities in the technology sector.

In his words, “this new initiative is aimed at using technology to drive the economy and infrastructure development of the State as it is envisioned to make Lagos the technology frontier in Africa.”

According to him, the CodeLagos project will equip students and pupils with the necessary digital skills to meet the growing demand for technology solutions, approach the world of work as problem solvers while also sharpening their logical reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking skills.

The Special Adviser reiterated that CodeLagos aims to teach at least one million Lagos students to code by 2019 and foster necessary skills to create sustainable solutions to social challenges and create employment opportunities.