NAIROBI, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- A joint initiative by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Chinese coding teaching platform Codemao is making progress in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into schools across Africa.

According to Mary Nyasimi, national program specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, AI and digital tools are transforming teaching and learning across the continent, equipping students with essential skills for future careers and innovation.

"Accelerating AI education is essential to bridge the digital divide, strengthen human capital, and improve the global competitiveness of both Kenya and the broader African continent," she said during a recent meeting in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

Launched in 2021, the youth coding initiative by UNESCO and Codemao promotes inclusive, safe and equitable AI and coding education across Africa and Asia.

The program focuses on delivering hands-on training, establishing cross-continental educational networks, and raising awareness of digital empowerment.

"Between 2021 and 2022, over 200 teachers from the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Namibia and Thailand, including 45 percent women, completed UNESCO's initial international coding training program," Nyasimi said.

The initiative operates on a train-the-trainer model, with newly trained educators cascading coding and digital skills to thousands of their peers and students across the region, she added.

Augustine Nzuki, a teacher at Tala Township Primary School in Machakos County, eastern Kenya, shared how a recent trip to Shenzhen, China, sponsored by the initiative, transformed his approach to teaching.

Although Nzuki had previously taught robotics theoretically, his visit in July marked the first time he operated a real drone and interacted with a robot in person.

"I saw practically what robots and drones are, gaining hands-on knowledge of AI and coding," Nzuki said.

He was among eight Kenyans -- four teachers and four students -- who traveled to China to see firsthand how the Fourth Industrial Revolution is reshaping education.

Looking ahead, Nzuki plans to visit 20 neighboring schools to share his insights and mentor the next generation of educators.

In Kenya, 20 schools across Kiambu, Nairobi, Kajiado and Machakos counties have been incorporated into the project since 2025.

To date, the program has trained more than 1,200 Kenyan students and established dedicated school coding clubs to foster continuous peer-to-peer learning. ■

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