Safaricom partners with Kodris Africa to enhance coding skills in Kenya
Safaricom has partnered with education technologies firm Kodris Africa to promote the study of coding in the country by allowing the purchase of annual lessons on the M-Pesa app.
Customers can now be able to purchase tokens that will provide a year’s worth of coding lessons through the M-Pesa platform and then activate them on a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer for their children to start learning how to programme computers.
Kodris Africa CEO Mugumo Munene said that the partnership with Safaricom would go a long way in initiating the subject in the education system in Kenya.
“The digital revolution taking place throughout the world is transforming how work is done. The skills that students will learn via Kodris Africa will be relevant today and tomorrow and allow them to explore and unleash their creativity and innovativeness in a highly digitized and computerized world which offers growth opportunities,” said Munene.
Kodris Africa is the provider of Kenya’s first-ever government-approved programme for teaching coding which is now the most demanded skill in the world and is not only classified as curriculum support material at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) but also applicable to students in all other modern education systems.
The programme is also accredited internationally by Pearson, the largest education institution in the world. The KICD approved the programme for teaching coding which is now in the roll-out stages in the country. The programme is online based and individuals can choose to purchase licenses so that students who have access to computers and the Internet at home can access the programme.
“We are excited to partner with Kodris to expand access to learning solutions to our customers who can now conveniently access the Kodris Mini App through our M-Pesa Super App,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO Safaricom.
The programme was officially launched by the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Innovation last month and it is expected to be taught in primary and secondary schools.
During the launch, Mr Munene said teaching coding is very crucial noting that in the next 3-5 years, at least 55 per cent of all jobs in Kenya will require digital skills as employers are seeking for a productive workforce that is digitally skilled.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) ICT director Charles Gichira said the teaching fraternity fully supports coding skills among Kenya’s children.
“The Commission is ready to work with all stakeholders in ensuring that our children learn coding so as to stand tall among their peers across the world,” he stated.