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The Mandela Day Coding Tournament was a success

The winning teams will proceed to the National Tournament

168 Coding competitors from 14 schools in the Nkangala District descended at eMalahleni to compete in the Mandela Day Coding Tournament hosted by the Mpumalanga ICT Club in honour of Mandela Day 2022.

Before the competition began, Keninda remarked, “I am humbled by the crowded school hall and the level of excitement here; yes, we are ready to embrace this beautiful day of Tata Madiba.”

Grade seven learners were asked to participate in the Mandela Day Coding Tournament, in which they competed in teams of six to improve their coding skills.

Ms Nomusa Keninda, founder of Mpumalanga ICT Club hosted the coding tournament in honour of Mandela. (Photo supplied)

More than just a competition, the event drew attention to the dearth of 21st century skills required by young people to face the future.

As they play the coding game utilizing the Tanks and Rangers App, these students are introduced to 21st century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving.

Some of the children from the different schools during the Mandela Day Coding Tournament which took place at Witbank High. (Photo supplied)

Teachers spent nearly every school day and winter school holidays preparing learners for this coding event and will continue to teach coding and robotics outside of regular classrooms henceforth.

In 2019, the Department of Basic Education in South Africa introduced the Coding and Robotics subject, and a great deal of training has been conducted by the department and the various organizations.

Keninda explains, “Today, students will receive fantastic prizes such as medals, certificates, and coding kits for their schools, which were supplied by the Nelson Mandela University and the Leva Foundation. Other awards prizes were provided by the Nkangala TVET College.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the results of the tournament were disclosed, and two teams from Rankaile Primary School in Pankop won the first prize, followed by two teams from Mogalithwa Primary School in Klarinet.

Officials during the Mandela Day Coding Tournament which took place at Witbank High recently. (Photo supplied)

The winning teams will proceed to the National Tournament that will be organized by the Nelson Mandela University and Leva Foundation and we are hoping that the teams will represent Mpumalanga well.

Schools who want to participate in future coding tournament must contact Ms. Keninda at nomusakenindan@gmail.com

 

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Zita Goldswain

News Editor at the Witbank News Caxton stable. Witbank News has been my ‘home’ for the past 24 years. Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling the space true words said by Rebecca West. I meet challenges, get the better of them and fill space with true words.
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