A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving at Ibeku High School in Umuahia, Abia State, has developed a digital fire emergency-response application, digitised key school operations and established an ICT club that is training students in software development and emerging technologies.
Kenneth Nweke, a Computer Science graduate of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, introduced the initiatives as part of his Community Development Service during his posting to the school.
Alongside the technology projects, Nweke provided 12 whiteboards for classrooms to replace concrete blackboards that required the use of chalk.
He said the initiatives were inspired by challenges he encountered after resuming at the school in January 2026, including concerns about chalk dust and the school’s reliance on largely paper-based administrative processes.
FireHawks Targets Faster Emergency Response
Nweke’s fire emergency application, FireHawks, was developed from his experience as President of the NYSC Fire Disaster Awareness, Prevention and Sensitisation CDS group.
He said his work with the group exposed him to difficulties faced by members of the public when reporting fire incidents and communicating emergency locations.
The application includes a panic button designed to capture a user’s GPS location and transmit the coordinates to a fire service control room.
It also features a water-hydrant mapping function intended to help users identify nearby water sources during emergencies.
Another component is a fire-safety audit tool, while an AI-assisted suppression guide is designed to help users identify different classes of fire and determine appropriate ways of containing them.
Nweke said the application was built using an “offline-first” architecture. This allows reports to be stored when there is no network connection and transmitted once connectivity is restored.
A representative of the Federal Fire Service Training School in Abia State, DF Henry Ndidiamaka Anele, described FireHawks as an “incredible app”, particularly highlighting its one-tap GPS functionality.
Anele said firefighters can sometimes lose valuable time locating addresses during emergencies, and suggested that the application’s integration with Google Maps could help responders navigate directly to incident locations.
He also commended its emergency hotline feature, user interface and fire-suppression guide, while noting that further development and scaling would be necessary before widespread deployment.
School Operations Go Digital
Beyond FireHawks, Nweke developed a website for Ibeku High School after consulting with teachers and the school’s ICT department.
The portal is designed to provide several services for students, parents and prospective students.
Students can check and print their results using their admission numbers, while prospective students can make admission enquiries online.
The website also provides information such as the school timetable, opening and visiting hours and official contact details.
Its results portal is designed to automatically compute scores, averages and rankings.
Nweke, however, said the platform was still awaiting final approval from the Ministry of Education before official school data could be deployed.
The project is intended to reduce reliance on paper-based processes while making selected school information and services accessible digitally.
Students Build Civic Technology
Nweke also established the MorningStar ICT Club to expose students to artificial intelligence, automation, web development, software development and mobile application development.
The students have already moved beyond basic training to developing technology projects of their own.
During a demonstration at the school, members of the ICT club showcased the Abia Green civic-technology platform developed under Nweke’s supervision.
One of the student developers, Precious Daniel, said the platform was designed around three interfaces: citizen, driver and government administration.
The platform is intended to improve access to public transport information, environmental reporting and citizen participation.
Students including Destiny Agu demonstrated how users could view active electric-bus routes and track buses through live GPS mapping.
Nweke said the project emerged from the students’ concern that commuters lacked a reliable way of knowing when the state’s electric buses would arrive at designated stops.
The project was initially developed for a STEM workshop before attracting the attention of the Commissioner for Science and Technology and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Sports, Raymond Chima Okwa.
According to Nweke, the officials subsequently invited the students for further discussions.
He said the Abia Green project had reached its final phase and would be presented to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, with the possibility of being integrated into the state’s citizen engagement system.
NYSC Praises Community Development Effort
The NYSC Coordinator in Abia State, Yunusa Tanimu, commended Nweke’s initiatives as an example of the Community Development Service component of the NYSC scheme.
Tanimu encouraged corps members to identify challenges in their host communities and work with residents and other stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions.
He said community development should not be left entirely to government and appealed to philanthropists, political and traditional leaders and other stakeholders to support corps members with innovative projects.
“The question is, what will I be remembered for? Kenneth has played his part. He has written his name and engraved it in the sand of time,” Tanimu said.
The NYSC coordinator also urged students to take their education seriously, stressing the importance of quality education to the future of Abia State and Nigeria.
The Senior Secondary School Principal, Elder Obioma Udemba, described Nweke’s contribution as “immeasurable”, particularly his work in digital education and student mentorship.
Udemba said Nweke had taken students to competitions in Port Harcourt and Abuja. He added that three students had recently returned from Abuja and that one had received an opportunity to represent Nigeria in the United Kingdom.
Building Continuity Beyond NYSC Service
The school is also taking steps to sustain the technology initiatives after Nweke completes his service.
Udemba said teachers and students had already been exposed to the knowledge required to continue the programmes, while an ICT teacher was expected to be posted to the school.
The school’s computer laboratory, internet facilities and trained personnel are also expected to provide a foundation for continuing the digital programmes.
Nweke disclosed that some of the resources used to provide the 12 classroom whiteboards were secured through the school’s alumni network, including two alumni based in the United Kingdom.
The projects demonstrate how the NYSC Community Development Service can extend beyond conventional community interventions to include technology, education and digital skills development.
At Ibeku High School, the initiative has combined emergency technology, school digitisation, classroom improvement and practical ICT education, while giving students an opportunity to participate directly in developing technology solutions.
For the students involved in the MorningStar ICT Club, the experience has also provided an early introduction to software development and civic technology, with their Abia Green project offering a practical example of how young developers can use technology to address everyday community challenges.