Tag: Coding

Infinix announces support for “8th Connected African Girls” coding camp

Infinix, a technology brand dedicated to empowering today’s youth, has announced its active participation in the 8th Connected African Girls Coding Camp, a transformative initiative organised in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UN Women, and co-hosted by the Government of the Republic of Mozambique through the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education (MCTES), along with local partners.

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Bridging the Gender Gap in STEAM Fields

The latest Global Gender Gap Report highlights the prevailing gender inequality in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) fields. The representation of women in these areas remains insufficient. As of 2023, in Africa, a region with one of the most significant global digital gender gaps, only 34% of women use the internet compared to 45% of men. High device costs, limited financial resources, and low female literacy rates are key barriers preventing women from accessing and using digital technology.

The primary objective of the Connected African Girls Coding Camp is to empower young women and girls by providing them with essential technical education and skills. Beyond gender equality, the initiative seeks to promote Africa’s integration and foster inclusive economic growth. By equipping young women with the skills needed in the digital era, this program also acts as a catalyst for job creation, actively contributing to poverty alleviation and the overall socioeconomic development of the continent.

The Commitment to Empower Women in STEAM

Mactar Seck, Chief of ECA’s Technology and Innovation Section, emphasised the impact of the program, stating, “Over the past seven editions of the program, more than 30,000 participants from various African countries, both in person and online, have benefited from the training. In this 8th Edition, we are proud to host girls and young women from all provinces of Mozambique, representing urban and rural areas. We are also delighted to welcome participants from Angola, who have joined the camp in person to connect and learn alongside their peers from Mozambique.”

Infinix, as an emerging technology brand, is committed to leveraging technology to enhance Africa’s economy and improve the quality of life, with a particular focus on empowering women. By supporting the Connected African Girls Coding Camp, Infinix’s smart devices play a pivotal role in providing young women and girls with access to essential technical education and skills.

The Future of Mobile Money in Africa

Benjamin Jiang, CEO of Infinix Mobility, expressed the company’s commitment to the initiative, saying, “We look forward to witnessing more African women gaining access to better learning and development opportunities in the STEAM fields. In the future, Infinix will continue to focus on and support local social initiatives, giving back to the community and showcasing Infinix’s unwavering commitment to the economic and educational development of Mozambique and Africa.”

The coding camp, which spans seven days in a hybrid format, combines in-person interactions with virtual elements. The selection criteria for trainees focus on age (between 12 and 25 years), location, interest in ICTs and STEAM subjects, and involvement in innovation projects, campaigns, or job sectors. Infinix has also provided smartphones as prizes for the young women who excel in the camp’s activities.

The physical session is exclusive to 100 participants, with a 60-40 split between urban and rural areas, hailing from Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, and Angola. Simultaneously, the virtual session extends its reach to over 3,000 participants from across the continent.

Infinix’s participation in this initiative highlights its commitment to promoting gender equality and advancing the skills and opportunities for women in STEAM fields, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and equitable future.

November 2, 2023
5 African Technology Conferences to attend in 2023
Here are 5 African technology conferences you can attend this 2023 to stay informed on important technology trends that cut across industries.

Technology has significantly transformed human coexistence in recent years, as well as business operations across the world.

The world is constantly evolving, with new ways of better integrating technology into daily activities and making human interactions more seamless. It can oftentimes be overwhelming to find how to incorporate and situate technological advancement to suit Africa’s and Africans’ needs.

This is why it is important for everyone, particularly tech professionals/enthusiasts and business owners, to keep abreast of the way technology is changing the African continent. This can be achieved by attending virtual or in-person conferences that keep them up-to-date on technological strategies that can improve their daily operations, especially if you are in Africa.

So, below is a list of 5 African Technology conferences you can attend this 2023.
- Nigeria Cybersecurity Summit 2023
- Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2023
- Blockchain Africa Conference
- I Code Java
- BIM Africa Summit (BAS) 2023
Read also: Nigeria turns into a hub for technological innovation and research – Kola Oladejo

Nigeria Cybersecurity Summit 2023

The Nigeria Cybersecurity Summit 2023 is a two-day conference that will gather Cybersecurity experts to discuss and arrive at the best strategies to combat cyber-attacks across the continent.

The summit themed “Building a secure digital future” is scheduled to take place from 6th to 7th February 2023 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Over 300 professionals, including CISOs from leading enterprises, Cybersecurity experts and elite ethical hackers from across the West African region, will be in attendance.

The key focus for the Nigeria Cybersecurity Summit 2023 cuts across Leadership & Upskilling, Critical Infrastructure, AI & Threat Intelligence, Risk Mitigation and Cloud Security.

Topics on Biometrics & Identity, the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as Malware & Threats would be addressed.

There will be over 15 hours of insightful sessions and six hours of networking to enable stakeholders to interact, share ideas and get to connect for the future benefit of securing the continent’s online terrain.

Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2023

The Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2023, which is in its fifth year, will yet again link thought leaders in the technology field from across the African ecosystem with international players and other stakeholders on Feb. 15-16, 2023.

This year’s edition will connect over 1000 delegates and more than 150 speakers across three Summits.

Over 450 organisations from different sectors, including fintech, DeFi & crypto ventures, mobile operators, tech corporates, regulators and investors, will be present at the summit.

Participants will have the opportunity to network with key stakeholders, including tech corporates, mobile leaders, fintechs, DeFi & crypto ventures, investors, start-ups, regulators and industry stakeholders driving business and investment forward.

Blockchain Africa Conference

The 9th edition of Bitcoin Events’ flagship summit, the Blockchain Africa Conference, is scheduled for 16-17 March 2023.

This year’s event would be a hybrid edition is holding in Johannesburg, South Africa and virtually across the globe.

The objectives of the conference are to provide a contextual understanding of blockchain technology and the available opportunities for Africa, as well as

to offer well-structured content that will meet the needs of different stakeholders across various industries.

It is also a great platform for networking opportunities centred around creating business partnerships and collaborations expected to provide employment opportunities and foster economic growth and development.

Over 1000 participants from around the world will be attending the conference debates and panel discussions.

I Code Java (ICJ)

I Code Java is Africa’s longest-running Java and Kotlin Conference. Global speakers and Java experts are hosted during the conference to discuss coding, amongst other tech-related matters.

I Code Java Conference will be held in two different South African cities at different times this year. The first conference is scheduled for 10 and 11 May 2023 in Cape Town, while the second is for 11 – 12 October 2023 in Johannesburg.

ICJ has always been a community-driven event which focuses on coding, architecture and developing leadership skills. Developing strong fundamental skills to further your career. Full-time African students have the opportunity to attend the conference for free, as 20% of the tickets have been set aside to support them.

Read also: UCT, GESDA Host Youth In Science And Diplomacy Discourse At WSF

BIM Africa Summit (BAS) 2023

Codenamed BAS 2023, this year’s BIM Africa Summit is a platform to interact with industry stakeholders and share strategies centred on boosting Africa’s development. The summit will exhibit innovation and new technologies in the built environment.

The 2023 edition will be hosted in Marrakech, Morocco, on the 18th and 19th of May, 2023.

It will focus on the digital development of the built environment for a sustainable Africa. There will be discussions and showcases on disruptive technologies from concepts in Laser scanning, 3D printing, Robotics, Digital Twinning, Artificial intelligence, African smart cities, and the Internet of Things to exploring on-demand software and hardware tools to collaborate and deliver the Africa that we want.

There will be over 1,000 exhibition visitors, 200 delegates, 60 exhibitors and 9 Award Categories.

These African technology conferences will expand the minds of participants in the various tech niches as well as other stakeholders that require such services, which ordinarily would cut across multiple sectors. So, make an effort to attend at least one.
January 7, 2023
Coding Becomes School Subject in Kenya

Kenya’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta, has announced that he would expand the country’s primary and secondary school curricula to include coding as a subject. The announcement was made at the State House in Nairobi.

In light of this recent development, Kenya has become the first nation in Africa to allow kindergarten and first-grade students to learn how to code.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said at the event, “I thank the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development for leading our country to this historic achievement by making coding a basic skill in our new competency-based curriculum.”

In addition, the President of Kenya unveiled the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022. This plan outlines strategic actions that will be implemented to address national cybersecurity concerns in Kenya. Also, the Kenya National Digital Master Plan was made public and will be used until 2032.

Kenya is the first country in the world to formally adopt a coding curriculum that will be taught in primary and secondary schools.
Kodris is an online learning platform developed specifically to instruct elementary and high school kids in the fundamentals of computer programming.

Teachers and students are the two categories of users that make up this platform, respectively. Users registered as students are led to scenarios in which they are required to complete programming-related activities using the Python programming language.

Read: South Africa to Add Robotics And Coding to School Curriculum

What is Kodris?

Kodris Africa, an online publishing company that teaches students how to code, was a collaborator in creating the curricular materials. Young people will benefit from the inclusion of hands-on lessons in the curriculum, which will assist them in the development of their ability to solve problems.
“Adding coding to the school curriculum will enhance students’ technological skills and put them on the scope in the ever-growing world of technology,” explains Kodris Africa CEO Mugumo Munene. “

Adding coding to the school curriculum will put students on the right track in the ever-growing world of technology.”

Mucheru is quoted as saying, “the world is changing, and everyone is going digital, and Kenya will not be left behind as the globe goes digital.”
The Director of Criminal Investigations, George Kinoti, believes that it is essential to teach youngsters information technology skills since, in today’s world, everyone uses information technology, including criminals. “It is of the utmost importance to teach our children how to use information technology in school because, in today’s society, even law enforcement officers need to have a solid understanding of computer technologies to combat criminals who are smart in this area.”

He said that technology makes it possible for law enforcement to fight crime in real-time and stay ahead of criminals.

On April 19, 2022, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) gave the curricular plans their stamp of approval. The construction of those curricula is in keeping with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Digital Literacy Program (which was introduced in 2016), as well as the National Digital Master Plan (2022–2032), which allows for an improvement in the level of digital skills found throughout the country.

During that period, Chief Executive Officer Mugumo Munene had already mentioned that it would be highly beneficial for kids to learn how to code. “Rather than only consuming what is made by others.

Kids who learn to code can become creators in this digital age,” he added. “This is very important in the 21st century.”

The Motives for Coding in Schools

The president, whose term will end in a few weeks, is hopeful about the influence of the National Digital Master Plan on the country due to all of these digital rollouts. He is sure that the plan will put the country at the forefront of information and communications technology (ICT) by encouraging the growth of ICT-related businesses and creating a policy, legal, and regulatory framework that makes it easy for more people to use e-governance.

NITDA Urges Youth to Upgrade their Skills in Blockchain Technology

President Kenyatta said this would help create more employment, enable and scale up ICT innovation, and establish a vibrant and robust ICT industry that will help other sections of our economy. “There is no doubt that this will help create more jobs.”

The master plan will also help investors decide where to put their money.
The digital master plan’s objective is to establish over 20,000 digital centres across the country’s rural communities, and this is the plan’s primary focus. Because of this, the government will be able to hire an additional 40,000 young people directly to work in the centres and instruct individuals who show interest.

Kenya has managed to keep its position as one of the most active centres for technological innovation on the African continent. This new effort demonstrates an ambition to redefine education and a solid determination to establish a future for the next generation. And it would appear that the public sector, as well as the commercial sector, are on board with this objective. In this single year alone, Microsoft, Visa, and Google have all opened their first research and development centres in the nation’s capital.

August 11, 2022
South Africa to Add Robotics And Coding to School Curriculum

In response to the call made by the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga for comments to amend the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) to make provision for coding and robotics at South African schools last year.

Recently, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said that it will include robotics and coding in the national curriculum. According to the department’s annual performance plan for the academic years 2022/2023, which was issued recently, the full-scale implementation for grades R through 3, as well as Grade 7, is scheduled for the academic year 2023. The two topics of robotics and coding will be piloted in additional grades from 4 to 9 from 2022 to 2023, and their full implementation in these grades will take place between 2024 and 2025.

According to Media24, In 2021, the three new subjects namely Kiswahili; Entrepreneurship, Robotics, and Coding were successfully trialed in 54 schools for Grade R to 9.

What To Know About Robotic and Coding in Schools

Coding and robotics courses are designed to help students become better problem solvers, critical thinkers, collaborative and creative workers, and successful citizens in today’s digital and information-driven society.

Furthermore, learners will be able to apply digital and ICT skills and transfer these skills to solve everyday problems and their possibilities.

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“Learners should be equipped with entrepreneurial skills that encourage job creation responding to education skills transfer for the future. The emphasis will be on improving learners’ skills in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Financial and Scientific Literacy, along with critical thinking problem-solving; creativity; communication; and collaboration,” the annual performance plan reads.

“The sector will be focussing on a curriculum response to skills; the preparation of teachers for curriculum digitization; teaching and learning methodology change and the integration of ICT skills in the Three Stream Model.”

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DBE Response

The department affirms that teaching children in lower grades robotics and coding will equip them with digital skills which are required to land them jobs in this era. The subjects will expose learners to digital literacy, virtual reality, augmented reality, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

More so, DBE added As Robotics and Coding is a new initiative, the focus will be on the upskilling of teachers to be trained to teach this new subject in collaboration with Higher Education Institutions.

March 31, 2022