Raspberry Pi schools competition will seek new programming talent in Lebanon

Lebanon is launching its first Raspberry Pi competition for school children and students across the nation in an effort to find skilled future programmers.

The competition is being run by the UK Lebanon Tech Hub, the Lebanon Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and the International Educational Association.

Raspberry Pi microcomputers will be supplied to more than 30 schools free of charge, with 100 teams of children expected to take part. They will be challenged to develop something that will benefit Lebanon, whether that’s for the realms of education, the environment, agriculture or making certain everyday activities easier.

The winning teams will each receive $1,000, and a study trip to innovation centres in the UK to learn more about careers in digital industries.

“The Raspberry Pi Competition is bringing to Lebanese students a unique ecosystem never seen before in school projects: technology, pedagogy and educational partnerships,” said IEA director and president Eliane Metni.

“The incredibly accessible Raspberry Pi technology and its starter kits are brought within reach of all, eliminating any technical entry barrier. It is a wonderful and unique way to bring teachers and students together to embrace pedagogical approaches and embark into the domain of coding, through the innovation path that integrates learning and creativity.”