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Children to Create Computer Software [ICT Monitor Worldwide](ICT Monitor Worldwide Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) DAR ES SALAAM premier ICT incubation hub, dubbed Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi), has embarked on a programme of creative and innovative computer coding for schools to help children create softwares which will provide solution to socio-economic problems. The Minister for Communications, Science and Technology, Prof Makame Mbarawa, said on Wednesday evening that the goal of the programme christened AfriCoderDojo was to build a community of youths who would develop creative applications and programmes with a focus on entrepreneurship. "I believe the initiative will be a long way towards ensuring that young people have the necessary computer and innovative skills, education and drive to compete in tomorrow's integrated marketplace," said Prof Mbarawa. He was speaking in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Prof. Patrick Makungu, during a launching ceremony. The first of its kind in Africa, the programme is carried out jointly by the Global Partnership of the US Department of State and CoderDojo of Ireland. According to DTBi Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Eng. George Mulamula, the new partnership initiative would teach young people the ability to understand and build fluency in coding, the computer language used to develop websites, mobile phone applications, computer programmes and electronic games. "For us, the mission is two-fold as innovative catalyzers and community enablers in the tech entrepreneurship sector," said the DBTi CEO. Eng. Mulamula pointed out that the programme would teach coding for creativity of students at an early stage and teaching 'in-calculating' the ideas of entrepreneurship and use of ICT and science to solve community issues with a different mindset that is innovative and results-oriented. He said that a total of 17 primary schools from different regions had turned out for the programmes and that the goal was to expand the programme countrywide. The Director General of COSTECH, Dr Hassan Mshinda, said it was a good time for youth to start learning to be future coders who would have interest in science, technology and innovation and develop applications to solve community issues. Based on the global open-source CoderDojo movement founded in Dublin, Ireland, AfriCoderDojo will rely on a network of experienced partners and volunteers to run the twomonth learning programme, the first private sector partner being Technobrain Limited, the Ireland based Camara Agency and the Institute of Finance Management (IFM). Provided by Syndigate.info, an Albawaba.com company (c) 2014 All rights reserved. Albawaba.com |