How Kenya is teaching its learners to code – with or without the internet
The partnership between Oxford University Press and Kodris Africa, which produced the "Smart Coders" series, is a direct result of this public-private approach
Kenya is teaching its children the language of computers, even in schools that don’t have any.
A new program is bringing coding lessons to students across the country, using textbooks so children can learn whether their school has computers or not.
This makes Kenya the first country in Africa to make coding this accessible. This innovation was made possible by a deliberate national framework.
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) designs the national curriculum and then approves learning materials created by private publishers.
This system creates a structured platform that invites companies to design creative solutions to educational challenges.
The partnership between Oxford University Press and Kodris Africa, which produced the “Smart Coders” series, is a direct result of this public-private approach.
Many schools in Kenya still lack electricity or internet. This new program solves that problem by meeting students where they are.
Kids learn the logic behind coding from colorful books with stories and games they can relate to. They learn to solve problems step-by-step, just like a computer programmer does.
Daisy Mwangi from Oxford University Press explained that the goal is to make sure no child is left behind.
She said, “Whether your school has full digital access or none at all, Smart Coders ensures no learner is left behind.”
For schools that do have computers, the textbook lessons can be continued on a special online platform that has KICD’s approval.
But for many, the book is the classroom. Why is this so important? Learning to code teaches kids how to think.
It helps them become better problem-solvers, a skill they can use in any job.
Mugumo Munene, from Kodris Africa, compares it to learning English. “When English entered Kenyan classrooms in 1963, it connected us to the world. Coding is that new language—the bridge linking our children to the digital economy,” he said.
By creating a curriculum that welcomes innovative solutions from publishers, KICD has enlarged the territory for this kind of grassroots innovation.
This approach means that a child’s future in the digital world no longer depends on where they live.
The first step into the world of technology can now happen anywhere—in a classroom in the city, or under a tree in a remote village.
