Girls from St. John Vianney Science College in Igbariam, Anambra State, used their virtual reality project to win the National Girls in ICT Competition 2024, capturing the national championship title on Wednesday.
The Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy hosts the National Girls in ICT Competition, a technological innovation competition open to all Nigerian secondary school girls.
The college’s innovative project, M-Tag VR, allows users to visit prominent sights like as Zuma Rock while also learning about the fascinating cultural features of Nigerian tribes.
The girls, Immaculate Ikegwuonu, Camilla Anyadike, and Nweke-Nonso Oluchi, coached by John Onuigbo, defeated teams from all 36 states in the federation.
The girls began the competition at the state level, winning the Anambra State competition, and then went on to win the South-Eastern regional championship, defeating teams from Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, and Enugu states to advance to the national final.
The organisers stated that their extraordinary idea and skills astonished judges throughout, resulting in a dramatic national victory over strong candidates from the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Rivers and Lagos states finished second and third, respectively.
On Thursday, one of the girls, Immaculate Ikegwuonu, voiced her joy, adding, “We are so grateful for this opportunity!” Thank you to our school for motivating us to seek jobs in ICT. With this victory, we aim to inspire other females to achieve the same.”
In response to the win, the Director of St. John Vianney Science College, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma expressed his excitement, saying, “This national title is a great achievement for our institution and a source of enormous pride. It reflects our dedication to empowering young women in STEM professions.
“As a science college, we understand the significance of technology and encourage students to use it for good. As a result, this victory is unsurprising. It is the culmination of years of hard work.
“This triumph demonstrates the perseverance and talent of these young girls. We’re pleased to have been a part of their adventure. They have demonstrated not only their technical skills, but also their ability to create and solve problems.”
Idika Ukpai, Kodex Africa’s Operations Lead, stated that the National Girls in ICT Competition is supported by establishing hubs in each state to give logistical support and ensure a seamless competition process. Kodex Africa lent its support to this Anambra team.
