• Samsung and Lesotho’s Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP) have overseen the graduation of 49 students from Samsung’s Innovation Campus programming, coding and AI programme.
• The six-month programme instructed the young cohort in how to use Python and AI-enabled software.
• Samsung opened an innovation campus at Lerotholi Polytechnic last year in March.

49 students from Lesotho’s Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP) recently graduated from Samsung’s Innovation Campus Programming, taking with them key skills from courses in coding and programming and artificial intelligence.

The courses were handled by Samsung South Africa as part of its innovation campus offerings. This programme provides various technology-aligned courses to targeted groups of students both in South Africa and counties like Lesotho through institutions like LP.

Last year, Samsung launched its innovation campus at LP in Maseru, Lesotho where it said it would offer courses on coding and programming, the Internet of Things (IoT) and “Big Data.”

“In the first year of the strategic agreement between Samsung and LP, the programme offered basic coding and programming education. This year, 49 students were inducted to kick-start the programme and AI course was added to the curriculum, as these are critical skills needed to develop the country’s youth into employable technology innovators,” Samsung said in a press statement.

“One of the main objectives of the programme is to help Lesotho-based youth to develop their 4IR skills and empower themselves to become future technological entrepreneurs.”

The students in the second cohort of the programme were part of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology. They completed courses in coding Python, and 30 of the participants also completed specialised AI courses over a period of six months.

“We are grateful to Samsung Electronics and Lerotholi Polytechnic for investing in the youth of Lesotho. Your giant foot-steps are greatly felt. Today’s graduation is not just a milestone for us as the graduates, but a testament to the transformative power of technology and education that Samsung Electronics has embarked on,” added graduate Tlokotsi Potloane.

The final hope of the programming is to equip more young people with means to be better prepared for the working world.

“As an institution, we are very grateful for the continued support that we have received from Samsung since the first year of our partnership. Samsung has ensured that we have a generous supply of academic tools, lecturer salaries and materials needed to guarantee the smooth running and successful execution of this important programme,” explained Prof. Spirit Tlali, Rector of Lerotholi Polytechnic.