By GIFT NDOLWANE
JOHANNESBURG – MORE than 350 Zambian teachers have undergone training through a globally-renowned programme aiming to bridge the digital skills gap across the African continent.
SAP and Africa Code Week partners arranged the Train-the-Trainer sessions at Lusaka International Community School (LICS) in the capital city.
Volunteers from SAP’s Europe, Middle East and Africa Corporate Social Responsibility (EMEA CSR) trained the teacher ahead of the Africa Code Week set for October.
Spearheaded by SAP in 2015 with over 500 000 young Africans introduced to coding so far, it officially returns to the continent from the 18th-25th of that month with a goal to empower another 500 000 youths across 35 countries.
Last year more than 5 600 adults were trained as part of the 25+ Train-the-Trainer sessions organised all over Africa.
“There is no transformation of education through ICT without proper training of teachers first, hence the importance of the Train-the-Trainer sessions organized every year in most participating countries,” explained Claire Gillissen-Duval, Director of EMEA CSR and at SAP and Africa Code Week Global Lead.
“This is where the transfer of skills and knowledge takes place as SAP skilled volunteers equip teachers with the teaching materials they need to make coding a daily reality in the classroom,” Gillissen-Duval continued.
She said Zambian teachers showcased sheer determination and commitment in supporting SAP’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and empower younger generations with job-relevant coding skills.
Charles Mwanza, Chief Executive Officer of Hackers Guild and Africa Code Week implementing partner in Zambia, said Africa Code Week encouraged young people to think like coders, which was handy as more coders would be needed to overcome society’s most pressing, increasingly complex challenges.
“Africa Code Week is a fantastic opportunity for Zambia’s youth to learn the skills they need to thrive in the global knowledge economy,” Mwanza said.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, YouthMobile, Cape Town Science Centre, Galway Education Centre, Google, 15 African governments and over 100 public and private partners support Africa Code Week.
In Zambia, it takes place from October 9 to 15, ten 10 days earlier than most countries, in order to accommodate the local school calendar.
– CAJ News
