Expert urges FG to include computer programming in school curriculum

Olagbegi, who is an ICT consultant, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to him, the Nigerian school curriculum needs to be reviewed because the teaching of programming should be made compulsory at primary and secondary school levels.

He said that Nigeria needed to move with the world, to the point where her people can develop algorithms and solutions to problems.

“I think the Nigerian school curriculum should be reviewed.

“Programming needs to be taught at the primary and secondary school levels compulsorily, across all schools in Nigeria.

“The world has moved on; we need to move to a point where people are taught how to write computer programmes, develop algorithms, create unique solutions to solve problems and how to write programmes in different programming languages,’’ he told NAN.

The programmer, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Delpha Technologies, also appealed to Nigerian youths to learn computer programming, irrespective of their courses of study or careers.

He explained that programming was the skill of being able to configure a computer to do what one wants it to do.

“Programming basically helps us to control how computing power is used in the digital age.

“We have seen this manifesting in so many ways, especially in the social media.

“Programming is being used in every aspect of life, which enables people to become more productive.

“I will, therefore, plead with all Nigerian youths to learn computer programming.

“Whatever career or course you’re going to learn, programming is going to be very important.

“As we evolve into a digital age, computers begin to play a more significant role in every industry.

“There is almost no career or profession that doesn’t have an IT component now.’’

Olagbegi also called on the federal government to develop more initiatives like the “Code Lagos Initiative” by the Lagos State Government, which is aimed at making coding education accessible to every student.

He said the government should have curriculum roadmaps and plans that would focus on educating people that will lead to a lasting impact on the world.

“We need to have an action plan from the government by way of a curriculum roadmap or a technology challenge group.

“I believe that one of our biggest resources in Nigeria is not oil but the people.

“And if we can educate people, we will definitely make a profitable impact in the world,’’ he added.