The Zimbabwean education system is not what it should be. We still focus on agriculture, which is understandable as agriculture is one of our most important industries. However, we are a bit short sighted in not drilling programming and entrepreneurship into our children. Luckily, many startups have taken on this role. Like the one we have today.
Teach Me Too brings future vocation skills for your kids through its Sustainable Digital Innovation Summer Camp
Harare, 16 December 2021; Looking for a cool and instructive summer camp for your children? Teach Me Too brings an exciting ‘Summer Boot Camp’ with exciting classes for knowledge and skill development for children ranging from algorithms, coding, the world of science and most important today, the art of entrepreneurship.
Each session provides key understanding of the subject to hone the child with extra skills desired for future vocation. In Algorithms & Programming students will develop programming and debugging skills on a computer platform. The block-based format of these puzzles helps students learn about sequence and concepts, without having to worry about perfecting syntax. The Science session will focus on Sustainability, Green future & upcycling, Fundamentals of electrical components and, Art & Craft Ignition & Enhancement, Financial Statements (P&L statements), Presentation Skills and most interesting a Real Life Market Experience (Product Sales Skills).
Taught by subject specialist Ms Ruramai Nhapata, the boot camp comes with competitive pricing – these packages allow students to not only rejuvenate during school holidays but also learn and experience first-hand aptitude from industry experts. Targeted for children of age group 5-18 years the sessions are available between Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 12pm.
To book, fill out this form, or Call / WhatsApp Ms. Ruramai Nhapata on: +263 788 669 318 / +27 734 57 0068 or Email: innovationcamp@teachmetoocode.com
About Teach Me Too
Teach Me Too Code is an innovation initiative that focuses on coaching young girls but not limited to them (ECD-B to A-Level) in STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths through hybrid programming, entrepreneurship & multimedia camps. Founded by Ruramai Nhapata an industry insider, the initiative was started to promote skill development and entrepreneurial acumen to empower the youth of today for a brighter future tomorrow. The programme is in line with UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Education agenda which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. Also, in line with Zimbabwean government’s Vision 2030 of transforming the country’s economy into an upper-middle income, the initiative supports this by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the youth.
Teach Me Too Innovation is a partner of Tech Hub Harare that incubates, mentors, trains and assists startups to get investor funding.
Kudakwashe with his JavaScript presentation
The camp has been running for weeks and places are available at $25 for next week, 20th-23rd of December. It will be the last weeklong session of 2021 and students can attend in person or virtually. Weekend classes will be available in January 2022 going forwards. Pricing for those to be advised but feel free to contact the Teach Me Too team to inquire. The weeklong sessions will be available during all school holidays.
Why Teach Me Too?
Teach Me Too places a focus on teaching entrepreneurial skills and so as the students dabble with code and algorithms for example, they are taught how to think along the lines of building a business. So as they work on their projects, they have to treat them like proper business ventures. The partnership with Tech Hub Harare allows them to then transition into the startup world if they have a viable project.
I’m all for teaching kids how to code and build businesses from the early ages. So, if you have kids that would benefit from this programme, go ahead and get in touch with Teach Me Too.
In the Zimbabwean context, the US$25 fee is a bit steep. After all, parents are struggling to pay $10 per subject for the ever necessary extra lessons. However, Teach Me Too is meant to be self-sustaining, and so with no donor money the cost will be out of reach for most for now. The plan though is to reduce these prices as the programme grows. In the meantime, those who can’t afford this can still get the free YouTube programming lessons, even in Shona.
The other challenge Teach Me Too is facing is that of attracting girls to the programming classes. The same as other programming courses. This is a problem to be solved at the national level, however it is good to recognise that if girls are freely choosing not to pursue this route, it’s okay. What we want is for them to know it’s an option and then it’s up to them.
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8 comments
Kudakwashe’s Javascript presentation is about Java. His presentation shows these kids are being taught to memorise. No way the 1st use case you think of is creating movie effects. I would rather have my kid learn problem solving and critical thinking.
A bit off topic, but I’ll never forget the day my nephews in primary made me feel thoroughly impressed and obsolete at the same time! Out of nowhere, they just started casually talking about coding games at school and showing me their video editing skills! No matter what, get your kids exposed to these concepts, it can expand their horizons like a joke!
Somebody is making bucks delivering bogus coding “skills” to these children. Software Engineering is no walk in the park and there are no short-cuts. Not everyone can be a top notch developer, same way as noone can suddenly become a great farmer, doctor or businessman out of the blue. Manyepo. The real world has more challenges than this expensive, theoretical game here. Kudakwashe’s presentation shows that he is ignorant of the difference between Java and JavaScript. Those “teaching” him don’t seem to know this either. Ignorance is bliss.
This type of comment is the reason we have few globally recognized entreps from Zimbabwe… Do not dim the light for the future generation just because you maybe could not have made it to the “top” whatever your “top” might have been in your time. Such an attitude leads to young people losing hope in a world that is tough already with climate changes added to the mix already. We teach… design thinking and its connection with digital solutions and sustainable ones thereof…
If you did Software Engineering I suppose after high school you would understand that its a common mistake to call JavaScript “Java” before your mind actually is made aware that there is a different language called Java… So my talented 11 year old prepared his PowerPoint presentation and used the word “Java” as shortcut for JavaScript. We teach innovation and the least we would correct is the fixing of a word Java in a presentation that actually explain JavaScript in a deeper understanding that adults think a 11 year can’t comprehend this is the problem with many adults – you are too harsh and leave no room for the young to grow.
A growth mindset is something learnt and not something one is born with and that is what the next 2030 generation has quiet naturally which we must nurture instead of putting down like this comment. The human mind has evolved and only adults molding it can limit it unfortunately OR grow it. As Africans we need to understand the problem at hand by 2030 and lift up our young/ youth instead of putting them down.
Sorry to break your heart. I just think “cutting code” is not for those who have not even achieved the required O level passes because, in practice, some concepts are even difficult for the lecturers & students alike. e.g. pointers, memory management, Analysis, Design concepts, UML and OOP etc. I’m happy with kids being exposed to this complex field in small digestable chunks because no matter how much we’d like our kids to be coders, they will find it difficult in the real world to be so until they fully understand the basics, especially if they expect to earn a living from it. These are facts and SE is a science not some salesmanship attendance course. What makes you think a kid who doesn’t even know binary arithmetic can work out the algorithm for Triple DES PIN encryption? There are very solid reasons why there are proper courses where theory and practice are provided, monitored and marked and serious exams undertaken. By giving the impression that any kid can sit behind a keyboard (with no typing or spelling skills) and do wonders is deluding oneself. I still repeat, ignorance is bliss. Just check how many online EFT systems keep going offline due to “technical” challenges. “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; in practice, there is.”
I’m a happy mom!! My two kids aged 5 and 8 had the best time EVER this past week…From day 1 they came back home full of stories and excited to have met and made new friends. My 8 year-old son now looks up to young Kuda as a hero of sorts, he’s also into animation and wants to practice and have “skillz” like him (I can imagine them collaborating on an animated film someday – and very soon, if such camps can continue and if we rally behind these kids and really encourage them…)
My 5 year old daughter was explaining to me what a pixel is earlier today (yesterday she was talking about pollution and global warming), in her own words, in a way that shows that she’s not just regurgitating words, but she really understands the concepts…it’s a fun and relaxed learning environment where they are playing and learning and having a really good time and getting exposed to a different kind of ‘classroom’…
Seeing is believing!!
Programmes like this need to be replicated and popularized…especially so that as more and more children enroll, the running costs can come down to the point where parents everywhere can afford to send their kids to Innovation Camp…
@Player 456 and @Sagitarr, feel free to suggest ways in which the training can be even better while it’s still early days, so that each next intake gets even better value for their time and money 🙂
Seeing is believing but 99.9% of the time it’s deceiving
I see Skepticism becoming an official Olympic Sport soon 🙁 ….