WINDHOEK, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Wednesday launched the second phase of the Africa Asia Youth Coding Initiative, aimed at integrating coding and artificial intelligence (AI) skills into the country's formal education system.
The initiative is a partnership between the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), China-based coding education company CODEMAO, Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer OPPO, and Namibia's Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture.
The launch marked a new phase for the project, which previously operated through after-school programs from 2021 to 2024, reaching more than 3,000 young people and 350 teachers.
In her keynote address, Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture Sanet Steenkamp said the program will empower youth to take ownership of Namibia's digital future.
"Phase II of this initiative is part of Namibia's Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) in action, transforming our national vision into reality," she said.
The minister emphasized that NDP6 targets increasing access to modern technologies from an average of 28 percent of the population to 70 percent. "Initiatives like this bring us closer to that target by putting technology directly in the hands of our youth," she added.
"This second phase of the Africa Asia Youth Coding Initiative in Namibia is focused on having a long-term, sustainable impact," Eunice Smith, UNESCO's head of office and representative to Namibia, said at the launch.
It aims to reach all information and communication technology (ICT) teachers and students by 2029 by embedding coding and artificial intelligence (AI) into the national curriculum, Smith noted.
Aligned with UNESCO's broader efforts to strengthen ICT in education, the initiative will support curriculum reform, train teacher trainers, and implement student training programs in coding and AI across Namibian classrooms.
To help bridge the digital divide, 200 OPPO tablets were handed over at the launch. These will be distributed to eight selected schools to enhance hands-on learning and improve access to digital tools for both teaching and learning. ■
