Technological kills help students develop critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving abilities that can be applied in everyday life
Dar es Salaam. When children learn coding, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), many people often assume they are being trained to become future programmers or robotics engineers.
However, educators say the goal goes far beyond preparing learners for specific careers.
Instead, they explained that such skills help students develop critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving abilities that can be applied in everyday life.
These ideas emerged during The Innovator League, a student competition held on Saturday, March 7, organized by Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) in partnership with EducoBot, which brought together participants from International French School, Alpha Schools and Aga Khan Schools Tanzania.
Speaking to The Citizen, EducoBot CEO, Tarun Agarwal said introducing students to technology-related skills should not be interpreted as directing them toward specific career paths. Mr Agarwal noted that many of the projects presented during the competition reflected problems students observed in their daily lives.
“Some of the children worked on entrepreneurial challenges that were not purely about technology. Many of the ideas came from everyday situations,” he said.
He added that initiatives like these help prepare students for a rapidly evolving world where practical skills are becoming increasingly important.
“The future will demand more than academic qualifications. In today’s world, the value of a person lies in the skills they possess, not only in the degrees they hold,” he said.
Educators also noted that the learning process extended beyond students to include parents, particularly because many participants were very young.
STEM education consultant, Nasima Karim, said several of the participants were still in the early stages of primary education.
“Many of the participants were starting from Grade One, and most of them did not yet have personal phones or email accounts,” she said.
In many cases, parents helped them access the online platforms,” she said.
At the school level, teachers said integrating technology into everyday learning has become increasingly important.
Aga Khan Primary School STEM coordinator Shazma Jaffer, explained that STEM education goes beyond coding and combines several disciplines aimed at strengthening analytical and problem-solving skills.
“It is important for students to understand coding, artificial intelligence and robotics because technology is evolving rapidly. Learners should not only use technology but also understand how it works and the science behind it,” she said.
Parents who attended the competition also acknowledged the role such initiatives play in building children’s confidence.
Steven Lwendo, one of the parents, said competitions like The Innovator League give students an opportunity to express their ideas and develop confidence at an early age.
Through initiatives like this, educators hoped to inspire young learners to think creatively and use innovation to solve real-world challenges.
