By Emmanuel Elebeke

When the names of two siblings, Fortune, a 15 year old SS1 student and Miracle Adebayo, a 14 year old JSS 3 student both of Mate School, Ketu Lagos were called last week to receive their certificate as certified Microsoft Windows XP professionals, all eyes at the occasion fell on them.

The audience were not stunned by the superlative performance of the siblings alone, they were also baffled to see two children of the same parents emerging as first set of students from the school to pass the Microsoft professional examination on the same aggregate.

The two siblings, Fortune and Miracle Adebayo posing with their certificates and the proprietress of their school, Mrs. Emily Adenugba at the centre.

The two kids, products of Beryl Consulting limited, became one of the youngest Microsoft Certified professionals, MCPs in the world, passing out in the biometric examination with 850/1000 grade each , in two separate examinations.

Addressing the press, the Proprietress of school, Mrs. Emily Adenugba said “I’m excited and particularly thrilled that I could send these children to sit for such international examination and they passed so well. It makes me feel proud that what I can’t do, my little kids have done it.”

She therefore charged parents to open the door for their children to have access to opportunities for them to be able to move at their own pace.

“When they try their hands on computer, they will come out surprising you. For parents who think they are wasting money training their children on information technology should know that they are actually investing into the future,” she stated.

She however urged the government to make ICT training compulsory in schools, especially at the beginners’ level, to get the kids familiar with ICT as their counterparts in other developed countries. With the MCPs, he said the kids can work as IT support staff, network administrator anywhere in the world.

For the kids, their achievement was the beginning of their career in life. They promised to explore other areas of ICT certification. An excited Fortune told journalist that he was looking forward to becoming a programmer, so that he can help in developing application software that can provide solution to problems.

While thanking the teachers and the school for providing them the opportunity to enrol into the examination, expressed deep appreciation to their parents , whom he said were very supportive through the provision laptops and other incentives.

Also speaking, the Director of the Beryl Consulting limited, Mr. Dapo Fasuyi said the idea behind the training was to prepare the kids for future challenges that may arise in the global labour market and business environment at large. Microsoft Certified professionals is an internationally recognized certification programme provided by Microsoft Corporation.