By Chisomo Phiri
Ladybird Private School in Upper Chinyonga, Blantyre,successfully held a coding session for kids aged 6 years to 13 years on November 19, 2023.
In the session, the kids were introduced to coding using the Python programming language.
Speaking in an interview with 247 Malawi News, the facilitator of the training, Dr. Bennett Kankuzi, who is also a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Head of Department of Computer Science and Information Technology at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), said the number of kids who attended the session was more than what they had anticipated.
“It was great seeing kids writing and running code for the first time.
“We had planned for a limited space of 12 kids but 18 kids from different schools in Blantyre turned up,” said Kankuzi.
He cited unfamiliarity with the general computing environment by some kids as a challenge they encountered but said many quickly adapted to the same and as such, still felt satisfied with what they imparted to the kids during the training.
“We are very satisfied. The numbers exceeded our expectations. And the kids followed through everything easily.
Kankuzi said after successfully holding this training, they intend to hold more coding sessions at the aforementioned school as part of their engagement with communities.
On her part, Tayamika Malombe,one of the kids, who attended the trainings, indicated that they had fun and she enjoyed learning how to code and wished there could be more coding sessions.
She said that she particularly enjoyed learning how to make a computer answer questions such as “how old will she be on her next birthday?”.
Another kid, Mwayi Mphande, who also attended the coding training, also indicated that he would like to learn more on how he can create computer games on his own.
Ladybird Private School was established in 1990 by Joyce Jaffu.
In 2015, the school’s premises were leased to other institutions with similar business interest until 2023.
The School has been reopened now by Joyce Jaffu’s daughter – Jacqueline Jaffu-Pangani and it offers nursery, reception, lower primary and upper primary.
The school is currently offering Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) curriculum with secondary school to be reintroduced in 2024.
