KICD Authorize Kenya’s First Coding Syllabus For Schools

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, KICD, on behalf of the government, has approved a new syllabus for teaching coding in primary and secondary schools.

Coding, also known as programming, is the process of converting human intentions into the order that computers can comprehend. Computers would be worthless without them. Kenya will be the first country on the African continent to implement the curriculum.

Kodris Africa, an online publishing company that specializes in equipping learners with 21st-century skills, will offer the syllabus after it was granted approval by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. Kodris will be offering the syllabus in another 48 nations on the continent.

According to KICD chief executive Prof Charles Ong’ondo, coding is a practical thinking activity that enables children to imagine, create and solve problems.

“In the past, coding was conceived as a high-level activity yet children can start engaging in early learning levels,” he said.

“The content … was quality assured and approved. The conditions for utilization will be included in the list of approved Digital Curriculum Support materials,” reads the letter

Kenyan pupils join a growing list of global heavyweights such as the United States, England, Finland, France, Turkey, Germany, and Israel in making programming a core subject from elementary school.

The approval by KICD comes days after ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru unveiled the Kenya National Digital 2022-32 master plan. The roadmap directs the ICT sector’s efforts to accelerate socio-economic progress.

According to Kodris Africa CEO, Mugumo Munene, coding as a subject of study is in line with the government’s efforts to promote technology use under the digital literacy program launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016.

He added that the syllabus will put learners on equal footing with those from developed nations.

“In a heavily computerized and digital world, a skill set in computer science has become a necessity,” Mr. Munene said. He went on to say that the rollout strategy will be carried out in collaboration with key education stakeholders.

“When students learn to code, they can become producers in this 21st century digital age rather than merely consume what is created by others.”

The Kodris Africa syllabus is designed for primary and lower secondary school students, has a user-friendly interface, and can be taught by any school teacher.

Here Is Why Coding Is Important

Everybody uses technology in their daily lives. Most of our kids do not know the world in any other way. In the past, computers were slow and computer programming was limited to a niche group of people who were analytical and good at mathematics.

In 2014, England became the first country in the world to mandate teaching coding to children at primary and secondary schools

Coding enables children to become independent citizens in a world where technology is everywhere. Learning to code helps students better understand one aspect of the digital world in which we live and, in some ways, become better prepared for it.

The objective behind learning to code is no longer restricted to becoming a skilled coder and meeting the job market’s needs. It enables children to progress in all aspects of life.

The benefits of coding can be surprisingly wide-ranging. When it comes to preparing your kids for the future from an early age, coding opens the door to plenty of opportunities to acquire life skills and explore career opportunities.

Coding for kids is a fundamentally creative process, starting with nothing and finishing with something.

Just like painting or cooking, coding encourages a child to benefit from the satisfaction through the process. In the real world, creative acts are often limited by the materials we have at our disposal like ingredients when we cook or the canvas when we paint.

But with coding, where the virtual world is infinite, the only restriction is the child’s imagination. Creativity lays the foundation for innovation, ingenuity, and leadership because it represents the ability to connect existing ideas with new solutions, approaches, and concepts.