Samsung, UNESCO partner to bridge Digital gap at Oban Community

ITRealms:

Rural dwellers in Oban community, Akamkpa local government of Cross River State has breathed an air of relief as Samsung Electronics West Africa partners with United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to launch its Digital village project which will provide access to the world’s most advanced information and communication technologies, education and health services to under-resourced areas, bridging the digital divide and serving as a catalyst for local business development and government service delivery, ITRealms reports.

In a report presented by UNESCO at the launch, ITRealms learnt that out of 100 million children who are school dropouts, 58 million did not complete primary education, while healthcare in remote areas is non-existent due to shortage of facilities and urban-rural gap.

Mr. Brovo Kim, Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, speaking on the initiative said that a sizeable proportion of rural areas across the continent do not have access to electricity, resulting in isolated communities with limited access to education, healthcare and connectivity, which are necessary components of socio-economic development.

“We are not only bridging the digital divide but also providing a facility that meets the most critical health and education needs of the rural community,” he said.

ITRealms gathered that the components of the Samsung Digital Village include: a Solar Powered Internet School, built to accommodate up to 24 learners; a Solar Powered Tele-Medical Centre, and a Solar Power Generator that powers up the Admin Centre which can be used as office space for local entrepreneurs and any other nearby school or community centre personnel with limited electricity supply.

Equally, in addition to providing the appropriate technologies, Samsung is also working to ensure that people of the Oban community take ownership of the Digital Village and receive adequate training to optimise use of the facilities.

ITRealms learnt that Samsung Electronics Company Limited is a global leader in consumer electronics and the core components that go    into them and has through relentless innovation and discovery, transformed the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

GCI: Nigeria ranks 47 tops 3 in Broadband markets

ITRealms

The Global Connectivity Index (GCI), a platform that partners with policymakers and enterprise leaders to identify, harness, and create new digital economy opportunities with the aim of building a better connected West Africa, has at the Huawei Cloud Congress (HCC) West Africa 2015 in Lagos rated Nigeria 47^th out of 50 countries, as well as the highest number of internet users in Africa and top three emerging broadband markets, ITRealms reports.

ITRealms gathered that the survey rated Nigeria as having a small fixed base but huge potential in the uptake of mobile products as she is one of the world's largest mobile subscriber markets and offers impressive opportunities primarily in the mobile broadband space, where rapid m-Commerce uptake is driving market growth.

President of Huawei Western Africa Region, Mr. Peng Song, who announced the result said, "Overall, the 2015 GCI shows that 20 per cent growth in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) investment will increase a country’s GDP by 1 per cent. It also identifies five enablers of digital transformation – Data Centers, Cloud Services, Big Data, Broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoTs). These technologies represent the targets that stakeholders should focus their investments on in order to most efficiently transform their economies for the digital age."

Based on the GCI findings, ITRealms gathered that, the HCC came up with three commendations for a better connected West Africa; to include increasing data centre investment, developing economies need to move from investing in supply to building demand and learning from developing countries’ success, to become leaders in GCI.

“Make Information Technology (IT) simple, and make business agile. It is an amazing era with rapid growth and data explosion. In this dynamic environment, Huawei will continue to invest in IT industry, and will continue to emphasize on the concept of being integrated, customer-centric and providing customers with innovative, differentiated, leading-edge products and solutions," Song said.

ITRealms learnt that Huawei, which forecasts that by 2025, 100 billion connections will be generated globally with 90 per cent of which will come from intelligent sensors, also launched the FusionCloud Solution and OceanStor V3 Converged Storage solutions at the Huawei Cloud Congress, where Accenture, Etisalat, Fidelity Bank, Intel, SAP and other Huawei partners, shared the cases of deploying Huawei enterprise business solutions to enable business success.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

NUC boss explains foreign university screening committee

ITRealms:

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie has explained why the Federal Government inaugurated a screening committee on foreign degrees obtained by Nigerian students, reports ITRealms.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Prof. Okojie said this has become necessary because some Nigerian students who attended universities in Ukraine, for instance, pass through the United Kingdom (UK) thus graduating with a second class degree, while even in some countries you can buy a certificate at the airports.

Speaking in Abuja after presentation of licenses to two new private universities last Thursday noted that the committee which comprised officials of NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education is changed with screening of foreign certificates.

ITRealms gathered that the universities awarded provisional licensees include Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo, Delta State, and Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State.

He pointed out that when these students come for the mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) programme, “they are referred to the Ministry of Education to look at the quality of their certificates.”

The ministry, he said, recently decided to set up a joint committee of NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education to look at the quality of those certificates.

“In Ukraine, where we have many of our students for instance, it is not that all the universities are bad; some are really good but it depends on which one. Some of our students who attended universities in Ukraine pass through the UK and get a second degree; in some countries, you can buy a certificate in the airport,” Okojie said.

NUC boss insisted that mere knowledge that a foreign university was approved was not enough as the programme pursued by a student might not be approved.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the quality of universities Nigerian students attend in the West African sub-region, especially in Ghana among others.
 

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Yoruba language now taught in Scandinavian schools

ITRealms:

Efforts at deepening the adoption of Yoruba language globally has received green light in the Scandinavian countries as it has been approved for teaching schools in the region, reports ITRealms.

A press statement from the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU) in Europe made available to ITRealms, showed that the Scandinavia, made up of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, granted the consent in late last year.

Confirming this development, Sweden-based newly elected deputy coordinator of Oodua Progressive Union, Mr. Victor Mobolaji Adewale, said at a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey that the approved was received following a formal launch of OPU in Sweden on November 29, 2014.

Adewale, who also emerged Deputy Coordinator of OPU Europe, told correspondent that the launch was attended by government officials from the Scandinavian countries who thereafter okayed the teaching of Yoruba language in their schools.

He said the Union also has the OPU radio functioning in the Scandinavian countries, using it as a medium of popularising the Yoruba language and reaching out to people of like minds.

"We are happy to report that the Yoruba language has got the approval of the authorities for it to e taught in schools in the Scandinavian countries. It’ is a major breakthrough for us in popularising our mother tongue. We look forward to doing more."

The Convener of the OPU and National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress, Otunba Gani Adams, had expressed happiness at the development, pointing out that key reasons for the summit was capacity building.

Adams also advised the European chapter of the OPU to aggressively expand by building more chapters.

He equally said the duty and responsibility of the European chapter should be to cover 25 countries out of the 28 in Europe, stressing that OPU could use Europe as a base to mobilise others.

Adams further said that OPU was now present in 56 countries, noting that "Protecting the image of Nigeria is important. Liaise with the embassies, the Missions of Nigeria in all the countries where you are based. They are the representatives of Nigeria out here."

He implored OPU members to operate with singleness of purpose, stating "If there is no unity, nothing can be achieved. We are building the OPU for the benefit of the Yorubas. We will soon expand strongly in America.”

The publisher of Freedom Online, Gabriel Akinadewo who delivered a lecture on "Leadership and the Nigerian challenge" admonished OPU members to develop leadership capacity in order to run a truly strong organisation.

Among those who attended the meeting was the paramount ruler of Arigidi Akoko in Ekiti State, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, whereas one of the major highlights of the meeting was the emergence of the executive members of Europe chapter.

The Coordinator of the chapter is Akogun Banjo Ojo, while Mr. Victor Mobolaji Adewale became the Deputy Coordinator.

The Europe chapter also agreed to commence the construction of an estate in Ikorodu area of Lagos State at a subsidised rate. 


ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!