An award-winning game that was developed to teach primary school kids in the Eastern Cape how to code – without using a computer – has gone global, thanks to the power of partnerships and thinking bigger.
Eastern Cape, South Africa (28 July 2023) – In a captivating tale of innovation and impact, a group of business students in South Africa embarked on an extraordinary journey into the world of coding and big data.
What might have been a nerve-wracking experience for these MBA students turned into a game-changing initiative that has the potential to transform education not only in Africa but also on the global stage.
The story begins with Byron Batterson, a former honours student in computer science at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and now a programmer at Amazon. Fueled by the belief that everyone needs a basic understanding of critical digital skills, Byron developed an ingenious game to teach coding fundamentals to young learners, especially those in low-resource settings.
This game, originally called TANKS, evolved into RANGERS and BOATS, two exciting variations that shed the military references and offered a more inclusive learning experience.
What sets these games apart is their simplicity and accessibility. A combination of a cardboard puzzle and a phone app makes for an engaging coding adventure that requires no electricity and works offline. This makes it a perfect fit for schools in underprivileged and remote areas, where access to computers is scarce or nonexistent.
It was the visionary eye of NMU’s Professor Jean Greyling that saw the true potential of these games. Together with Byron, they joined forces with the Leva Foundation in Gqeberha, which became the implementation partner and helped fund the Tangible Africa program. Fast forward a few years, and Tangible Africa has expanded its reach across the continent, earning accolades and recognition along the way. But the impact didn’t stop there. Tangible Academies were established across the country, offering additional math and language lessons to exceptional learners. The results were astounding, with students’ academic performance seeing significant improvements. Beyond coding skills, the games also impart essential 21st-century skills like creativity, conceptual thinking, and teamwork, preparing learners for a brighter future in the tech sector.
With over 100,000 learners and 25,000 teachers benefiting from Tangible Africa, the success story continued. Even MBA students at Nelson Mandela University Business School and participants in executive education programs at Henley Business School Africa got to experience the transformative power of the games. A specially crafted module called ‘big data and coding’ was co-created by Leva and Henley to help corporate middle managers embrace the world of big data without fear.
Ryan le Roux, CEO of the Leva Foundation and a Henley Business School graduate himself, understands the value of empowering both students and adults with these critical skills. He firmly believes that investing in Africa’s human capital will unlock the continent’s tremendous growth potential.
The journey of Tangible Africa, supported by partnerships with NMU and Henley Business School, has been recognized with prestigious awards and grants, fueling its expansion into Ghana and beyond. The game’s potential to bridge the digital divide and pave the way for innovative learning has gained widespread acclaim.
In the words of Jackson Tshabalala, Engagement Manager at Leva Foundation and a Henley Postgraduate Diploma graduate, breaking the barriers to coding and digital education has been an incredible privilege. With a solution-oriented mindset and a collaborative spirit, Tangible Africa is proving that a better future for our children is possible through innovative learning.
Africa’s next big growth market is not only embracing change but also leading the way for a brighter, digitally empowered future. Tangible Africa and the Leva Foundation are shaping a world where imagination becomes an unsung superpower of leadership, building the people and businesses that will shape the future of Africa and beyond.
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