Robotics and Coding program
Since 2021 the Awarenet program has offered robotics and coding after-school classes where an early interest in the principles of coding is triggered through having fun programming robots. As of 2026 around 350 learners are enrolled in our robotics and coding classes.
The learners - ranging from 11 to 16 years old and therefore in an age where the ability to play is an important part of the learning process - are normally not much exposed to such practical learning in their school setting.
The learners are provided with LEGO building blocks supplied by Hands On Tech which they assemble into robots. The advanced moves of these LEGO are thereafter programmed by the learners on laptops. Finally, the robots are then run on a mat with an obstacle course, after observing the movements of the robots the learners then return to the laptop to refine and reprogram the moves in order to make the robots handle the course better.
Through this trial and error method the learners reach a deeper understanding of the processes behind coding - a crucial skill in today’s technology-driven world. General computer skills are also improved among learners who mostly study at schools where the use of ICT in teaching is limited.
Our learners also get to showcase their new skills in robotics competitions such as the World Robot Olympiad which has its own qualifying competitions in South Africa on a provincial and national level. Through this, a new world is opened up to the children and youth in our local robotics and coding program; making them see that they also can form the technology of tomorrow.
