A group, CVhub4afrika on Wednesday said it had started free coding class for children between the ages of seven years and 16 years so as to meet up with the global need for technology.

Mr Austin Agbakor, its representative, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the free coding class was also to meet up with training of 1,000 people, especially youths in coding and digital education.

CVhub4afrika had, in 2018 during its inauguration, targeted to train 100,000 people by 2020.

Agbakor said that the hub was training children and youths during the boot camp to be digitally advanced as well creative thinkers were needed for the technological growth of any country.

He said that creative and critical thinking would help the children to be academically sound as well as being problem solvers.

According to him, the hub had trained no fewer than 3,000 children as at 2019 but for the lockdown in 2020 it put a temporary stop to the training.

He said it was because the virtual training it adopted was not yielding much due to lack of adequate power supply and tools for children to learn virtually.

“The hub has trained over 3,000 children from late 2018 to 2019 in coding and robotics of which the children were already developing games.

“The lockdown slowed down the training which we are ready to commence while observing the COVID-19 guidelines.

“Although we are looking at how to bridge the gap to meet the target of 100,000 people, the training will be limited to the first 20 children and in batches so as to be totally COVID-19 compliant,’’ he said.

He, however, emphasised that there was need to deviate from normal summer coaching to other form of learning beneficial to the children.

Also speaking to NAN, the hub manager, Mr Mudiaga Ovworomokefe, said that the hub was created to empower youths and children through training that would encourage them on inventions and innovations.

Ovwromokefe said that it was through such trainings that children’s talent were discovered that would benefit and promote the country.

According to him, “we are in a digital world, the earlier we engage the children in digital skills the better for the country.

He, however, said that the hub would appreciate collaboration from government and industries because the hub had a lot to offer to the society.