Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-03-25 04:28:15
A group of twenty-one female students from Tare Pet Montessori Group of Schools in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, recently graduated from the innovative Sporting Coders pilot programme. This programme, a collaborative effort between the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative and the school’s management, is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It combines training in netball with coding, aimed at introducing the participants to the fundamentals of coding and encouraging them to consider careers in STEM fields, where women are currently underrepresented.
The 12-week training programme began in January 2024, with the students engaging in coding classes every Saturday morning for two hours, followed by two hours of netball training. To keep the students motivated, free lunch was provided for the netball players, and they also received educational vouchers worth N10,000 on each occasion. Additionally, three former netball players who are now in university were given educational vouchers worth N50,000. The organisers, in partnership with Lord’s Taverners (a UK-based charity), supplied the students with netball training equipment, including balls, sports jerseys, and training bibs.
As part of the programme, CSED Initiative donated 110 general interest books to the school library and presented a new laptop to the school’s management to support the success of the initiative. The students’ parents were actively involved in supporting their daughters, attending both the school’s inter-house sports competition and the graduation ceremony for the Sporting Coders programme.
During the graduation ceremony, the school’s proprietress, Mrs. Victoria Mologe, encouraged the students to work hard and nurture their sporting talents while pursuing their academic and professional aspirations. Alaere Wisdom, the captain of Tare Pet School and the current Bayelsa State netball champions, expressed gratitude to the coaches, parents, teachers, and sponsors for providing the students with access to this valuable girl-friendly training programme.
Mrs. Catherine Sasoude, the Director of Technical at Bayelsa State Sports Council, shared her personal experience of overcoming challenges to participate in sports while excelling in education. She emphasized the importance of empowering young girls through sports and education. Godwin Adagbo, Head of School Sports in Bayelsa State, praised the impact of the CSED Initiative’s ‘Project 2027’ programme, which focuses on training games masters/mistresses.
The Sporting Coders programme has not only equipped the female students with coding skills and enhanced their netball abilities but has also fostered a supportive and inclusive environment for their overall development. By promoting STEM education and sports participation among young girls, this initiative is contributing to changing societal norms and encouraging gender equality in traditionally male-dominated fields. The success of the programme demonstrates the potential for empowering young girls through innovative educational opportunities and sports training.
