Students at Rwanda Coding Academy
The EdTech Monday radio Episode of July 25, 2022 will focus its discussion on development of coding skills in Rwanda’s education system.
The episode under the theme “Coding For Learners In Rwanda” will be aired this evening at KT radio (96.7fm) from 6PM and also streamed live on KigaliToday YouTube channel giving an opportunity for listeners and followers to interact.
Rwanda Coding Academy at launch
Coding is the primary method for communicating with a computer. It is using a language to give a computer instruction to perform specific functions.
Coding makes it possible for us to create things such as computer software, websites, apps etc.
Dr. Christine Niyizamwiyitira, Head of Department of ICT in Education Rwanda Education Board
This art of using technology to suite our daily needs on a computer and in real life, is a new trend in the country’s education system.
Currently, there are coding summer schools and only one coding school- Rwanda Coding Academy (RCA) launched in 2019 in Nyabihu district, Western Province.
The students will be part of the country’s efforts to address in a more sustainable manner the shortage of high caliber software developers on Rwandan market.
The academy specializes in the fields of software programming, embedded systems, software engineering, cyber security, among others.
It admits the best students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects from ‘O’ Level National Examinations.
Last year, the academy got a boost from Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s leading tech giants, which entered into a partnership with the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of ICT and the Ministry of Education, to equip the school with latest coding equipment and technologies.
In the Studios for EdTech Monday Tonight
A Panel of three people in the field of coding will have an interactional discussion around the topic and involve the audience in order to unlock their ideas and recommendations referring to the topic.
Those include Dr. Christine Niyizamwiyitira, Head of Department of ICT in Education Rwanda Education Board; Gabriel Baziramwabo, a Coding Instructor at RCA and Shadrach Munyeshyaka, CEO and Founder of Nyereka Tech.
Shadrach Munyeshyaka, CEO and Founder of Nyereka Tech
The trio will explore questions and answers around- How to define “coding” in Kinyarwanda, and set pace on it with rising digitization and constant advances in technology, how Rwanda should start thinking about coding as a basic skill.
They will explore the challenges of scaling coding to every young learner in Rwanda and how to create opportunities to learn code more accessible to young people including ones with disabilities and young people who are forcibly displaced.
Gabriel Baziramwabo, Coding Instructor at RCA
The trio will also look into what should be the contribution of coding to jobs creation and sustainable development in Rwanda and some challenges faced by coding companies/entrepreneurs in the growing sector.
EdTech, an integrated, Africa-wide conversation, is a product of Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT in partnership with Rwanda ICT Chamber.
The centre prepares the EdTech Monday Rwanda on every last Monday and the show airs in Kinyarwanda and focuses on leveraging technology to advance education and learning in Rwanda.
EdTech Monday also airs monthly on CNBC Africa and Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works Facebook Page.
Aligning to the monthly Africa theme, Mastercard Foundation offices in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria, in partnership with local EdTech support organizations, disseminate and keep the discussion going on around technology in education.
