Through creative, teacher-led coding activities, Tangible Africa is helping learners across the continent discover that problem-solving, persistence, and possibility can begin with the resources already in their classrooms.
Gqeberha, South Africa (06 September 2026) – While limited resources and a lack of IT infrastructure may pose challenges in the South African education department’s phasing in the mandatory introduction of Coding and Robotics into primary schools, Tangible is working to change the narrative by making the most of the resources our schools already have at our disposal.
Using an approach designed to teach coding and computational thinking with or without computer labs, the organisation recently enabled more than 50,000 learners across 10 African countries to take part in Coding 4 Africa from 18 July to 18 August.
The initiative reached 513 schools and organisations, with more than 200,000 engagements recorded.
“We talk a lot about what schools don’t have. Coding 4 Africa starts with a different question: what can we do with what they already have?” said Professor Jean Greyling, founder of Tangible, the LEVA Foundation programme behind Coding 4 Africa.
“This isn’t about saying schools don’t need computers. They do. But children shouldn’t have to wait until every school has a computer lab before they can start learning how to solve problems, build sequences and understand the thinking behind coding.”
Taking Coding to Learners Everywhere
Coding 4 Africa grew out of Coding 4 Mandela, which began in Gqeberha in 2018 with 30 learners. In 2026, the initiative expanded across the continent under the Coding 4 Africa banner.
Participation in local schools looked different depending on learners’ ages. Younger children worked through activities introducing ideas such as patterns and sequencing, while older learners used Tangible coding games to build, test and correct sequences of instructions.
The activities were designed around concepts included in South Africa’s Coding and Robotics curriculum from Grade R to 9, including patterns, sequencing and problem-solving.
Much of the initiative’s reach came through teachers taking the activities into their own schools and communities.
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Perhaps a Little 'Rewonderment' Is What We All Need!In KwaZulu-Natal, one training session with more than 60 Foundation Phase teachers led to coding activities being introduced to Grade R to 3 learners in many schools across the province. Similar teacher-led participation took place through schools and community programmes across South Africa, as well as in countries including Lesotho, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
For a Stanger Manor Secondary learner in KwaDukuza, the programme had a meaningful impact on the way he thought and viewed life. Moreover, his dream of one day winning at the KZN provincial championships came true when his team was declared the Grade 10 provincial winner.
In a speech about how coding had impacted his life, he shared:
“To a coder, victory is not by chance – it is built line by line, with patience, logic, and never giving up.”
Tangible is a flagship programme of LEVA Foundation. Find out more at www.tangible.levafoundation.org
Sources: Tangible Africa
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