The National Computer Board (NCB), operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Technology, Communication and Innovation, is implementing the ‘Digital Youth Engagement Programme (DYEP)’ which comprises the provision of introductory courses on Coding to youngsters.

The National Computer Board is providing a 15 hour training coding to primary school students as early as Grade 4 and Grade 5. The trainings are provided in the NCB Cyber Caravans which proceed to various primary schools around the island.

The objectives of introducing Coding at an early age are to:

Spark the interest of our young learners for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects.
Contribute to increase the number of students opting for Science and Computer Subjects at Secondary and Tertiary Levels.

A number of coding skills will be imparted to the students via course materials accessible online from an Open Source coding platform (Code.org). The skills to be taught include:

Reinforcement of Pre-requisites (mouse skills)
Sequence
Debugging Codes
Problems solving
Understanding and Devising of Algorithms
Use of loops
Online Safety

It is expected that this initiative will, in the long run, contribute towards creating an adequate and diversified talent pool to fill the increasing number of technology jobs that shall be available in the future and hence drive the growth of the ICT Sector.

NCB is using a mix of IT equipment (in the Cyber Caravans) comprising Laptops, Raspberry Pi and Tablets for the delivery of the coding trainings. It is seamless for the learner accessing online course materials from whatever device he/she is using. At the same time this is also an opportunity to showcase the latest IT technologies to the students and community.

2,214 Primary Schools Students have been trained in coding since July 2017 to date.

http://www.ncb.mu/English/EPowering-People/Pages/Digital-Youth-Engagement-Programme-(-DYEP).aspx

• Mauritius

• Youth
• Including Girls

The project can be replicated by using existing IT facilities at primary and schools secondary schools where available and coding training batches scheduled after school hours and during week ends.

DYEP being a national project and supported by the Minsitry of Technology, Communication and Innovation and the Ministry of of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, necessary budget provision need to be made for the sustainability of the project.

This project promotes an inclusive and equitable access to quality education in line with WSIS Values