Today Rwanda launched the first coding academy that will produce a pool of top-end experts in the field of software engineering in order to address, in a more sustainable manner, the current shortages of software developers on Rwandan market and the region. This took place today; 22 February 2019, in Nyabihu District, Western Province.

Rwanda Coding Academy attracts students who are “Born To Code “who have completed ordinary level (Lower secondary) to undertake a three years graduation software engineering course, specifically in the field of software programming, embedded programming and cyber-security.

The school opened with 60 students, including 30 boys and 30 girls, who are also categorized in 3 streams of 20 students.

Speaking to the media, Minister of ICT and Innovation; Paula Ingabire said “We are starting off with sixty (students) but the intention is if we can roll out at least five coding academies; one in each province, then you are looking at least every year enrolling about three hundred students that can specialize in becoming software experts,”

In line with the National Strategy for Transformation, the Government of Rwanda has embarked on building a knowledge based economy, through promoting science and technology.

The school comes to respond to the recommendations of the “Rwanda Digital Talent Policy” as approved by the Cabinet in April 2018. The policy calls for initiatives to strengthen a framework of ICT training and qualification in Rwanda, placing emphasis on hands-on and market oriented ICT skills, specifically introducing software programming to learners at elementary levels in order to address current shortages of software developers on market.