Najaf family launches coding club to teach children programming

NAJAF— A Najaf-based family has established a coding club to teach children programming skills in Iraq, particularly in the city of Najaf.

The club, named Abdaʿfor Smart Skills, began its first initiative to teach 1,000 children aged 6 to 14 the basics of programming using the Scratch robot, which combines games and coding to make learning more accessible.

The first graduating class included nine children, with six-year-old Fatima Ali completing all course requirements as the youngest participant.

“The idea of the club started when I discovered my passion for programming and artificial intelligence, and after achieving advanced positions in local, Arab, and international competitions, I thought of passing this experience to other children,” said Maryam Firas Nizar, one of the club’s trainers, speaking to 964media.

Club director Aliya Abdul Hussein said, “we launched our first week-long training course, introducing children to programming basics through Scratch robots,” she said.

Graduates of the program are expected to participate in local and international competitions. Following strong turnout, the club launched the ‘1,000 Digital Children’ initiative to expand access to programming education.

One participant, Zahra Mohammed, told 964media: “I learned the basics of programming, especially how to program the Scratch robot. This robot helped us understand programming properties and algorithms in an enjoyable way.”