FG trains staff on cybersecurity

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

The Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, in collaboration with Cisco Networking Academy, has launched a virtual class and training of staff on cybersecurity.
This is in line with the role of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, in Education.
While launching the 3-day training on Monday in Abuja, the Minister said that the exercise was in pursuance of actualizing the Ministry’s objective of “aligning with the dynamics of the 21st century teaching, learning and administration.
He disclosed that the training was necessitated by government’s appreciation of the potentials of ICT in sustaining the development of the country as well as its inherent dangers.
Nwajiuba added that the exercise was also prompted by Ministry’s goal of building the capacity of staff with local and internationally recognized certifications in order to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
He, subsequently, expressed hope that staff, at the end of the training, will be equipped with skills that will propel the education sector to its desired level of development.
The Minister also applauded Cisco Networking Academy for donating the virtual class and exercising while pledging the commitment of the Ministry to collaborating with it on other aspects of the education sector.
Speaking, Director of the Information and Communication Technology Department of the Ministry, Abubakar Isah, disclosed that the training was on the recognition of the need to ensure staff are exposed to the latest trends in the cyber world.
He said that since cybercriminals are always looking for ways to outsmart their targets, it behoves on government to protect its data by equipping its staff with the latest ICT skills and knowledge in order to avoid prey to the ‘whims and caprices of cyber criminals’
In his remarks, Mr. Toyin Olatayo, Academy Support Contact of the Company, said that the training was part of his organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CPR.
He stressed that with cybercrime on the rise, globally, it is important that the protection of sensitive data and vulnerable personnel is taken seriously.
According to him, research has shown that schools and colleges, in the developed world, have become the targets of cyber criminals.
Olatayo also revealed that the trainees will be taught the latest cyber trends, threats and how to stay safe in cyberspace in order to protect personal and organizational data.