Historically Black Tennessee State University (TSU), known for offering coding classes at over 30 universities across the United States, has announced that they will begin offering these classes in Africa.
The institution will be offering these classes in partnership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which operates several schools on the continent. These classes will be made available at the African Methodist Episcopal University and Monrovia College in Liberia, as well as Wilberforce Community College in Evaton, South Africa.
High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors eligible for the program can earn graduation credits for both high school and university. It is hoped that this will encourage more young Black students to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Since 2019, more than 2,000 students have taken these courses and around 20 percent have chosen to pursue degrees in STEM.
Students Jump at the Chance
Faculty members from TSU are also training the participating school faculty to deliver the courses on their own. This training will provide continuity within the program since 500 students have already signed up to take classes over the next three years.
President of TSU, Glenda Glover, expressed her pride to the TSU Newsroom that the university is participating in such an initiative.
“Coding and app design are a large part of the global workforce, and we want to help make sure people of color, everywhere, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competitive and successful,” she explained.