South African learn-to-code programme gets global recognitionBy Heather Dugmore

By Heather Dugmore

A South African-developed coding programme called Tangible that teaches problem-

solving through simple, fun games, and works with or without computers, has been

accepted by the international UNICEF-led Learning Cabinet. This places it alongside

a small group of international education tools that have been independently

assessed for safety and scalability for real learning impact.

Tangible was developed by the Department of Computing Sciences in the Faculty of

Science at Nelson Mandela University Nelson Mandela University and is being

implemented globally by the not-for-profit Leva Foundation.

https://tangible.levafoundation.org/

In the most popular Tangible game called Rangers, which is suitable for all learners

from eight years upwards, the aim is to guide your ranger though an obstacle course

to catch the rhino poachers. Each level presents a new challenge. At the same it

teaches learners about the need for rhino conservation.

Another game called Juicy Gems, for Foundation Phase learners (five to nine years),

has a farming theme. Two other games for eight years upwards are Speed Stars - a

Formula 1 racing game - and Code Cup - a soccer game.

“Tangible’s selection by the Learning Cabinet followed a rigorous evaluation process

that included academic impact studies,” says Professor Jean Greyling, Head of the

Department of Computing Sciences at Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha who

has coordinated the Tangible coding project since inception.

““We need to equip all learners for a future shaped by technology and artificial

intelligence and the Learning Cabinet inclusion is an important acknowledgement of

an approach that was designed for classrooms everywhere, irrespective of their

resources or lack of them,” adds Greyling.

The Learning Cabinet https://www.learningcabinet.org/ is a joint EdTech initiative

between UNICEF, the Asian Development Bank, Arm Holdings, and the Ministry for

Foreign Affairs of Finland. It showcases high-quality, evidence-based education tools

that have been independently assessed for their safety, scalability and real learning

impact.

“This will open many doors and opportunities for us to share our approach with

education decision-makers in different countries and supports the programme’s

continued expansion,” says Greyling. Tangible is already active in several countries and cultures, including South Africa and nine other African countries, Ireland, South

Korea, Cyprus, Germany and Indonesia. To date, it has reached more than 350,000

learners worldwide.

“Our goal is to reach learners worldwide, across very different classroom contexts,”

he says. “In South Africa, over 16,000 schools lack computers, which is why

Tangible is designed to work with or without technology, without being limited by

either.

Greyling adds, “Tangible starts by making learning fun and accessible for both

teachers and learners, while teaching the fundamentals of computational thinking

and problem-solving. Through the process, many learners gain the confidence to

pursue mathematics, which is essential for STEM careers.”

In every country, Tangible offers well-structured lessons that comply with the coding

and robotics curriculum from Grade R to Grade 7 in South Africa, and the equivalent

levels in other countries. The Tangible team in the Department of Computing

Sciences has developed a number of coding games with different levels of

complexity to suit all ages. Specialised formats have also been created for autistic

and visually impaired learners.

The programme is fully unplugged in the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3) and

introduces optional digital tools at later stages, using any smartphone.

More than 200 CAPS curriculum-aligned lessons for Grades R to 7 have been

compiled and distributed at no cost to teachers across South Africa via Tangible’s

WhatsApp Chatbot. During the 2025 pilot year, approximately 3000 teachers

registered for this service, which empowers them to teach the gazetted Coding and

Robotics curricula in their classrooms.

Tangible has grown steadily since 2017, when BSc Honours Computing Sciences

student Byron Batteson developed the foundational coding app at Nelson Mandela

University and subsequently teamed up with the Leva Foundation.

According to Leva Foundation chief executive Ryan le Roux, the organisation’s role

is to ensure that the programme grows without compromising quality or consistency.

“Tangible opens the door to learning. Leva provides the systems, partnerships and

governance that allow it to scale responsibly,” he says.

One of the programme’s most visible public moments each year is the

#Coding4Mandela tournament, held during Mandela Month. In a recent tournament,

50,000 learners from across South Africa and other African countries took part. One

of the first participants, Buhle Pikoli from New Brighton in Gqeberha, who had never

been exposed to coding or computers, completed all 35 levels in two days. “Today my life changed,” he said at the time. He has since completed his studies and is now

a software developer.

In 2025, Tangible hosted a global coding World Cup with 340 teams from 30

countries participating online across five continents. In many of these countries,

Amazon Think Big Spaces have been the anchor partnership that has launched

Tangible into a global movement. South African schools placed first and second, with

strong competition from Indonesia, the previous year’s winner. “The World Cup really

showed how we are closing the digital divide,” noted Le Roux.

Another highlight in 2025 saw 400 learners play Tangible’s coding game in the

children’s zone at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. One of the participating groups was led

by Casey Juliano, a well-known IT educator in the United States, a STEM Hall of

Fame inductee, and the teacher of the 2025 Robotics World Champion school team.

“For students to be able to engage with coding and pre-coding experiences that

develop critical thinking, problem-solving and grit - it’s been the highlight, besides

meeting the drivers and pit crews, of course,” commented Juliano. “I’m excited to

explore how I can integrate this into my classroom, so my students have a strong

scaffold before moving on to Python later.”

“That experience reinforced a key principle behind Tangible’s design: tools that work

in under-resourced classrooms are as relevant in well-resourced ones,” says

Jackson Tshabalala, Leva’s Engagement Manager. “The learners all play the same

coding and robotics games. No specialist equipment required. No ideal conditions.

Just learners working things out together through play.”

As education systems worldwide grapple with how to prepare learners for a

technology-driven future, Tangible’s inclusion in the Learning Cabinet highlights a

South African contribution to a global challenge: making foundational digital skills

accessible, practical and scalable without leaving anyone out.