#GirlsInICT #TechTackle #TechGirlsAdvocacyProgram #GirlsHackTheVirus
In a bid to increase efforts to drive stronger impact in the digital literacy level of public secondary schoolgirls, Girls Voices Initiative launched the JAMB-CBT Training Program. The official reports about JAMB focus the conversation on the performance of candidates to issues of examinations malpractice, especially the case of parents going to any length to ensure that their children pass the examinations at any cost. However, we were and remain concerned that the important conversation of the digital skills gaps of children, particularly girls, is a huge factor responsible for the poor performance in the JAMB examinations. Although candidate’s performance is yet to be disaggregated according to sex, age, location, etc. our observation of the space reveals that many students, particularly vulnerable girls, have no knowledge of how to write an examination using the Computer Based Test (CBT) platform which, unfortunately, is now the only platform through which the JAMB examinations are written. And the JAMB examinations continue to be the famous examination to qualify students for university education.
ith the 2020 JAMB examinations fast approaching, we sought to support a number of female candidates in the public school system, especially vulnerable girls like house-girls or other disadvantaged girls who had never had access to any computer training or use, but also deserved the opportunity to make the best of the opportunity to pass their examinations and explore further education. We targeted 100 girls from 5 public secondary schools (Government Secondary School Apo, Government Secondary School Garki, Government Secondary School Tudunwada, Government Day Secondary School Wuse 2, Government Secondary School Lugbe) with training to prepare them for the upcoming JAMB examinations. The training introduced the girls to the CBT system and supported them to complete a JAMB exam practice test and identify weak areas that they could improve upon before the actual JAMB examinations.
The JAMB-CBT held in 2 separate classes comprising 50 girls in each session. And on each of the training sessions, the activities were organized to train the girls, carry them through the practice test, and respond to questions and advice the girls based on the results of their practice test. The girls also had break times and refreshments were provided. The JAMB-CBT training program was a productive exercise and was implemented at no cost to the girls and their accompanying teachers who we trusted to make the right selection of suitable girls to participate in the program and chaperoned them to the training. The feedback from the girls underscored the value of the Program and it is desired that this program can be scaled to benefit more vulnerable girls.