Excitement was palpable at Tala Township Primary School in Matungulu Sub County of Machakos when the school fraternity held a sendoff party for their ICT teacher Mr. Augustine Nzuki ahead of his departure for a UNESCO-backed training program in Shenzhen, China.
Mr. Nzuki is one of only four teachers selected from Africa to take part in the Asia-Africa Tour under the UNESCO-CODEMAO Youth Coding Initiative. He will also serve as team lead for the African delegation.
The initiative seeks to build young people’s skills in artificial intelligence and programming, encourage international exchange, and support inclusive digital education across participating countries.
The event was also attended by Ministry of Education officials, teachers, and students who gathered to send off the ICT expert in pomp and style.
He will join educators and learners from Asia and Africa for a week-long conference focused on AI, coding, digital innovation, and cross-cultural collaboration.
Planned activities for the training include innovation workshops, visits to technology institutions, joint project development, and dialogue sessions with fellow educators and young innovators.
Speaking after the ceremony, Mr. Nzuki said he is proud and honored to represent Kenya, Machakos County, and Tala Township at the program set for July 19 to 26, 2026, in Shenzhen.
“This is a highly competitive selection. I’m honored to lead the African team, which includes two teachers and four learners,” he said. “My goal is to learn from CODEMAO, a Chinese organization at the forefront of AI and digital literacy, and to bring back practical knowledge and new approaches we can use here.”
He noted that participants will also visit sites where AI is actively applied in industry and education.
Lilian Gitahi, Sub-County Director of Education, said the appointment was a proud moment for the school, the county, and the country.
“This is a great honour and we expect it will benefit both students and teachers,” she said.
Acting head teacher Phyllis Sila said the school was proud to have one of its own chosen for the tour.
“Mr. Nzuki is innovative and has been integrating ICT skills for both learners and teachers. We look forward to the new ideas he will bring back,” she said.
CODEMAO currently works with 20 schools in Kenya, including Tala Township Primary.
By Anne Kangero
