CASTALIA’S CODE EDUCATION PROJECT IN KENYA SELECTED FOR JICA’S FIRST FY2020 SME/SDG BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT, FOLLOWING FYs 2017 AND 2018

With regards to the local use of the methods in the fostering of code educators and the development of educational materials

“SDGs Business Verification Survey with the Private Sector for Entry-Level Code Learning in Basic Education”, a project planned by Castalia Co., Ltd. to be implemented in Kenya, has been selected by Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) as a commissioned project of SDGs Business Supporting Surveys to benefit from JICA’s Small and Medium Enterprises / Sustainable Development Goals Overseas Business Development Support (the first of FY2020).

Small and Medium Enterprises / Sustainable Development Goals Overseas Business Development Support is a proposal-based commission project that supports the overseas development of small and medium size enterprises in Japan.

As explained on JICA’s website: “The support system matches the development needs of developing countries and excellent product and technologies offered by Japan’s public sectors, and aim to find solutions to ‘businesses that contribute to the accomplishment of SDGs (SDGs businesses)’ and problems that those countries have, and to enhance the relationship between the two countries through ODAs and further promote economic relationship.”

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The project selected this time is a sequel to the basic survey selected in FY2017 and the business model formulation survey in FY2018, and continues to focus on code education for fundamental education in the Republic of Kenya.  Castalia will challenge the social problem of the qualitative and quantitative lack of programmers that are essential for the prevalence of ICT in Africa by offering classes using CodeEdu, a series for the fostering of programming human resources that uses both online learning and hands-on training, in order to create ICT human resources in the said country.

CodeEdu is optimized for use on smartphones and allows you to study regardless of time and location. It features functions for the users to ask questions to the instructors as well as to share the learning experiences with their fellow learners.  In Japan, it has already been offered to Joetsu University of Education and the public; its content and structure are made in a way that even beginners who do not have code education experiences can become instructors in an efficient manner.  

Following this project Castalia will launch a code education business project based on Goocus, and furthermore contribute in the quality improvement of primary education and the fostering of ICT human resources in Kenya.

[JICA] 62 Projects Selected by FY2020 Small and Medium Enterprises and SDGs Business Development Support (Japanese language only)
https://www.jica.go.jp/press/2020/20200924_10.HTML

[CodeEdu] Code education instructor training course
https://codeedu.castalia.co.jp/

[Goocus]
Goocus is a mobile-and-web-based learning platform designed for businesses and educational organizations. It allows students to study from multiple devices, namely iOS/Android and Web apps, and administrators to use a wide range of management tools from Web browsers.
https://en.castalia.co.jp/goocus