On the 16th March this year, Malta joined a global network of coding clubs with the opening of the first Coderdojo club at the National Council for Women in Blata l-Bajda. 50 other countries are taking part in this initiative which is aimed at promoting computer coding to children aged between 7 and 17 years of age. This initiative is spearheaded by the Malta Communications Authority (MCA), with the assistance of KPMG Crimsonwing and the Department of Education and it contributes greatly to the MCA’s ongoing drive to promote the use of ICT in society at large.
Although, the notion of digital inclusion is generally more associated with the use of computers and technology amongst the elderly, new forms of digital divides are slowly emerging in other strata of society. Coding, being the language of computers is often compared to just another language which children should embrace from a young age. In this regard, children across the world are being increasingly encouraged to learn to engage in coding. Europe in particular is in the driving seat of a series of initiatives being rolled-out which are specifically targeted to children.
