Coding is gaining popularity in our classrooms. Although not all schools were chosen to pilot the Coding and Robotics Curriculum, many schools accepted the challenge of incorporating the topic as a non-examable in their curriculum, making it fashionable to all children.
"Our goal is to ensure that learners are aware of, comprehend, and have coding skills; in this sense, we are stating that all learners deserve to be fluent in Coding because it is a new language." Ms. Keninda claims
Schools in KwaGuqa townships like Khayalethu, Vuma, Siphendulwe, Moruti Makuse, and Duvha Primary School have been blessed to host the Leva Foundation Coding Project using Unplugged Coding Apps such as TANKS and Boats. Other schools in the Gembokspruit area, as well as two in Soshanguve, were included to the project.
The Mpumalanga ICT Club has been involved in the Africa Code Week Campaign and the Hour of Code since 2016. "It took me a while to understand and learn the coding languages, especially Scratch, but I did it because I am passionate about digital technology, and now I am expanding my arms to reach teachers and these kids."
Ms. Nomusa Keninda maintains numerous portfolios within and outside the Mpumalanga Department of Education; she has been recognized by Microsoft as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Fellow, she is a Trailblazer Award Winner 2021 in South Africa, and Scratch Coding Judge, to name a few. Her passion for coding is spreading to the most disadvantaged schools in the Nkangala District. She has visited schools at Phopolo, Loding, Itsoseng, Rankaila, Jabulani, Benzangani, Morelig, Bazani schools and many others to teach coding and spread her passion for coding.
Like a queen bee, she has a big impact at the schools she has visited, and the kids adore her. Ms. Keninda was also named a "Coding Pioneer" by the MEC for Education in his budget and policy speech 2021 to the Mpumalanga Legislature.
On November 24, 2022, the club will organize another coding session for students at Makhathini Primary School in Mhluzi township. This will be the closing ceremony of Africa Code Week 2022, with over 120 students from various grades participating in the coding activities planned for the day. "It is not the end of the coding year; we are also preparing to commemorate Computer Science Education Week 2022 by hosting the Hour of Code, which is the global coding campaign; we invite schools to join by keeping learners in schools from December 1st to 9th, 2022." The coding interns will be teaching youngsters to code wherever they are in our communities.
The Minister of Basic Education declared a few weeks ago that beginning in 2023, all schools will provide Coding and Robotics lessons in grades R - 3 and 7.
"My experience dealing with children in schools has made me fall in love with the teaching profession and children," coding evangelist Duduzile Mashinini remarked.
Coding skills assist these youngsters in developing the computational thinking skills required for twenty-first century learning. They work together on activities, communicate, lead, and add creative components into their learning.
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