The launch of the iSchoolAfrica Coding and Robotics Centre at Igugu Primary School marks a significant step towards closing South Africa’s digital divide and expanding access to technology education in township schools.
The new centre was officially launched in Soweto, Gauteng, on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, with Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube joining iStore Education and iSchoolAfrica for the event.
The initiative aims to improve access to coding and robotics education in township communities while addressing long-standing inequalities in digital learning opportunities.
Coding And Robotics Education Expands In Township Schools
The launch forms part of South Africa’s broader Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) strategy, which focuses on integrating technology into education, especially in under-resourced schools.
Delivering the keynote address, Dube-Ncube said the opening of the centre represents more than just a new facility.
She described it as part of an ongoing struggle for equal access to opportunities in the digital era.
“In 1976, the struggle was for the freedom to choose your language of instruction. In 2026, the struggle is for the freedom to choose your future,” she said.
“Coding is a language. Robotics is a language. Artificial Intelligence is a language. These are the dialects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
New Soweto Centre Seeks To Bridge The Digital Divide
For many years, access to digital tools, coding programmes and reliable connectivity has mainly been available in better-resourced schools.
Many township schools have historically had limited access to these opportunities.
The new coding and robotics centre in Soweto aims to address this imbalance by giving learners access to digital education and technology-focused skills development.
Dube-Ncube described the facility as more than just a computer lab.
“When we bring coding and robotics into Igugu Primary School in Mofolo South, we are breaking down a wall. We are saying that geography is not destiny, a postal code should not determine a child’s potential, and that being born in a township is not a limitation- it is a launching pad,” she said.
