Vuma has teamed up with GirlCode, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering young girls and women with tech skills, to launch a 10-week co-ed coding programme. The initiative aims to bridge the digital divide in SA’s public schools and will initially roll out in two Johannesburg schools: Zola Primary in Soweto and Mthimkhulu Primary in Vosloorus.
In its bid to bridge the gap, Vuma will provide reliable internet access, which the fibre provider noted remains an exception rather than a norm, limiting opportunities for both boy and girl learners to develop essential digital skills.
Vuma said unlike previous iterations, which were primarily geared towards girls and offered shorter, introductory sessions, this year’s Vuma Schools Coders Club is intentionally co-ed and built for depth, not just exposure.
The 10-week format enables learners of all genders to progressively develop foundational skills in Scratch, HTML and CSS, applying them to real-world issues that matter, such as creating safer, more inclusive communities. This shift marks a deliberate move towards broader inclusion and more sustained impact in the classroom, Vuma noted.
Over the next 10 weeks, 2 000 learners in Grades 5-7 will be introduced to coding through hands-on lessons in animation, web design and interactive storytelling – aligned with this year’s anti-bullying theme. The programme will culminate in a final hackathon between the participating schools.
“Past phases of the programme have brought out incredible potential in the learners. Girls and boys who never imagined themselves in tech are suddenly the ones helping their classmates debug code or build simple web pages. These moments of confidence matter because they open doors that were never even visible before,” said Zinhle Vilakazi, junior event co-ordinator at GirlCode.
Bonginkosi Mkhatshwa, head of the mathematics and science department at Zola Primary School, said he has seen remarkable transformation in the computer labs.
“Our learners are more enthusiastic than ever, and they often share how exciting and enjoyable it is to learn website development. We’re truly grateful to Vuma for equipping our students with valuable coding skills. It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for them.”
Taylor Kwong, head of marketing at Vuma, said: “We wanted the learners to not just learn code, but to use it in a way that reflects their reality. The goal is that they’re able to use tech to tell stories, solve problems and express themselves, which is in itself a form of empowerment.”
Vuma’s long-term vision is to extend access to more learners across the country by rolling out the programme to additional Vuma connected schools, creating a pipeline into future GirlCode initiatives such as masterclasses and Pan-African hackathons.
To date, Vuma has connected over 900 schools to free fibre internet.
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