Over 800 primary students from five schools in Kigali city acquired coding skills from the Africa Code Week that kicked-off on Monday last week.

The training was aimed at empowering the future generation with coding tools and skills they need to thrive as part of the 21st century workforce and become key actors of Africa’s economic development.

The Minister for Youth and ICT, Jean-Philbert Nsengimana, said that the program was in line with the government’s policy to promote the ICT-based education.

"This is the right time for the youth to take computer lessons and it falls within the main priorities of the government of Rwanda. As the ministry, we are planning to soon roll out many computers in all schools so as to ensure quality education,” he said.

Fabian Carlos Guhl, one of the trainers and also the CEO of AMPION, a partner of Africa Code Week, said they believed coding was a tool for the job market of the future.

"There’s a big demand in Africa for IT experts and particular coders, we therefore want to encourage and inspire more young people to choose this job. The one hour training on these RDB buses was the first step. We are now going to continue expand the training sessions so that everyone can benefit,” he noted.

The students also had an opportunity to learn more about animation and drawing using command tools.

"I enjoyed the training, we learnt much about computers, particularly how to design different things using ‘scratch’ platform. I didn’t know anything about it but I got to know a lot, I wish the government can give more computers to our school,” Landrhoda Iradukunda, a Primary Six student at Don Bosco said.

The deputy General Manager of K-lab; Aphrodice Mutangana, said that together with their partners, they were planning to start training teachers all over the country so that they could be able to in turn also teach their students.

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