To foster digital inclusion, the Sparkle Foundation, a non-profit organisation committed to helping children live healthy, access education and work towards achieving their full potentials, has donated a solar-powered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre to Wesley School I and 2 and AUD Primary School, Oko Sagamu, Ogun State.
Speaking at the commissioning of the ICT Centre on Monday, Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, expressed delight at the foundation’s generous contribution.
She emphasised the importance of digital literacy and access to technology, particularly at the primary school level, as a means to prepare students for a successful future.
She said; “Technology has become essential to driving innovation, progress, and development. The Sparkle Foundation has recognised this need and has taken the task of bridging the digital divide in this community. “
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sparkle Foundation, Mrs. Olasimbo Ibijoke Ojuroye said the newly inaugurated ICT centre with 20 computer sets would be a game-changer for the students, as it would provide free access to technology and online resources for education and skill development.
She said: “We believe that ICT is not a luxury but a necessity for the children in this community. It is a powerful tool that can level the playing field, bridge the gap and create opportunities that are unimaginable.
“This prompted us to donate the centre, which we hope will bridge the connectivity gap and build a tech-savvy young generation who will take advantage of this technology towards the development of the Sagamu area of the state.”
“We are delighted to unveil the ICT centre as we believe that access to technology is a key driver of social and economic progress.”
She said the facility was in line with the foundation’s commitment to fostering innovation and empowering children with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the digital age…”
The Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board Chairman, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, represented by the Board’s Secretary, Mr. Adebola Lawal, commended the foundation’s kind gesture .
“The initiative will turn around the pedagogical skills of the teachers to ensure these children learn in a very good environment that will stimulate good teaching and learning.
The Aminisan of Oko Sagamu, Oba Gabriel Babatunde Adekunle Odunayo, thanked Sparkle Foundation for giving back to society. He urged other well-meaning people from the community to emulate them.
He said: “It’s important to highlight that in the future, illiteracy won’t be defined by the inability to read and write but by the incapacity to operate and navigate computers.”
The Chairman of Sagamu Local Council, Afolabi Odulate, described the initiative as a timely intervention and promised that “the students will properly utilise the facility.”
Odulate stressed that the new development would contribute positively to achieving an efficient and effective Information Technology-driven economy for sustainable development.
