27-07-2025
Seshego kids learn coding on Mandela Day with local digital pioneers
POLOKWANE – In a quiet corner of Seshego Zone 2, a group of children gathered on Mandela Day – not for games or treats, but to learn how to code.
Hosted at the home gallery of renowned philanthropist and retired school principal Phuti Ragophala, the coding and robotics session aimed to empower children with digital skills.
Armed with just their smartphones and internet access, the young participants were guided by two passionate facilitators, teachers, Innocent Moapola and Tebogo Molepo.
They were also joined by Dr Malebese Sello, recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in ICT in Education from a university in India in 2022.
Ragophala, a 2023 recipient of the prestigious National Order of the Baobab, has long championed digital inclusion in her community.
'They know how to code using Grasshopper, Scratch, Rangers Tokens and Make Code Arcade. I recently introduced them to Minecraft AI and Octo Studio. It only takes an hour, hence the Hour of Code,' she said.
The initiative, rooted in her unwavering commitment to education, offered more than just fun. It gave children a hands-on understanding of how machines can be instructed, an essential skill in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The event also had an important message for adults: Parents must also start thinking about upskilling.
'We are moving fast into a digital world, and no one should be left behind.'
