Finastra introduces UAE students to the world of coding

For the second year since the inception of its corporate social responsibility program, Finastra in collaboration with Code.org, teamed up with Innoventures Education and two local schools to introduce young minds to the world of coding and computer science. The initiative is part of Finastra’s long-term commitment to delivering computer science skills to children and young people in the rapidly advancing digital Middle East.

The Hour of Code initiative is designed to demystify code and broaden participation in the field of computer science. During a week-long event, Finastra hosted more than 580 students from Dubai International Academy (DIA) Emirates Hills and Dubai International Academy Al-Barsha. The children had the opportunity to design and execute commands within a gaming environment such as Star Wars or Flappy Bird. Younger children, between seven and nine years of age, used “blocks” of code in a drag-and-drop environment, while older children learned to write code in JavaScript.

According to the World Economic Forum’s report on “Future of Jobs and Skills,” 65 percent of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that do not yet exist. Participation in the program allows Finastra to help further expand the movement globally and to introduce computer science to a wider audience, encouraging more girls and under-represented minorities to get involved.

Serge Tohme, managing director, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Finastra, said: “Through the Hour of Code initiative, we want to introduce innovation in the old silos of education systems, demonstrate the power of coding and show the younger generations new career avenues. The initiative is a great way to reach young people from all backgrounds, to make them more aware of the potential of computer science, open their eyes to new career opportunities and spark their interest in learning more.”

Candice Combrinck, head of primary, Dubai International Academy Al-Barsha, said: “It’s the second year that our children have taken part in the Hour of Code initiative and it’s been as big a success as the first. The program is helping raise our students’ aspirations and shown them what opportunities there are for coders. We believe it is very important to forge links between schools and the workplace even for young pupils so that they are encouraged to link their educational experiences with the real world.”