Three Nigerian schools have excelled in a technology-driven programme on coding and robotics project implemented by PanAfricare and ExxonMobil.

The ‘Future Skills’ project was designed to equip young students and their teachers with skills in critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and competition.

Government Secondary School in Gwarinpa took the top spot in basic robotics competition scoring 270 points, while Government Secondary School, Dutse excelled in coding.

On its part, Government Secondary School, Garki, scored highest in advanced robotics. The winning schools will participate in the 2024/2025 National Robotic Challenge on January 26, 2025, with a chance to represent Nigeria internationally.

PanAfricare’s Country Director, Dr Patrick Adah, said the initiative has not only bridged the gap in digital literacy but also fostered a culture of innovation among the students.

“It is worthy of note that these students have started to apply the training they received to find locally thought-out solutions to problems in their communities”, he said.

In his remarks at the event to mark the final activities of the over one-year training programme in Abuja, Director/Secretary of the FCT Secondary School Education Board, Dr Mohammed Sani Ladan, said the project has helped the participating students and Nigeria at large adapt to the 21st-century education curriculum and advanced technology.

“This is one special way we can compete with the rest of the world in AI and robotics activities,” he said.

The aim of the programme was to inspire and empower young minds to drive technological development and ensure Nigeria’s relevance in the global economy.

Over 120 students participated in the project, which provided training sessions, furniture, computers, and specialized robotics equipment.

Some of the students who spoke during the competition hoped that the programme would help them fit in and compete with people from China, the United States and elsewhere in the global tech space.

The project was implemented in 14 schools and conducted over 400 training sessions on Coding and Robotics, benefiting more girls than boys (150 girls and 130 boys).

Also, 28 teachers were trained in the schools using international standards to ensure the sustainability of the project.