It is a common perception that coding or computer programming is not for everyone and that it requires sound knowledge of computer science to learn coding. But, there are people around the world who have been trying to make coding interesting and accessible for the youth, especially for school children. Microsoft's 'Hour of Coding' is one such initiative in Bangladesh.

On February 3, 2017, Microsoft Bangladesh arranged a 'Kids Coding Session' in order to orient school children on coding. Four hundred students, from class 1-8, participated in the two-hour coding session at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

It was a coding session unlike any other, where the children were introduced to codes through mobile games. The participants were split into groups of three. They used Microsoft and Code.org's recently released tutorial “Minecraft Hour of Code Designer” to build a simple Minecraft game and their own custom gaming experience by plugging together blocks of code to control the behaviour of sheep, zombies and other creatures in the game. Participants were required to change the behaviour of the objects through moving blocks of codes.

Wellington Perera, Developer Experience Lead for the Southeast Asia New Markets, Microsoft Asia Pacific, conducted the workshop. Munir Hasan, Coordinator Youth Programme, Prothom Alo moderated the session.  

Managing Director of Microsoft Bangladesh, Sonia Bashir Kabir, addressing the participants, highlighted the importance of embracing technology as a user as well as a producer for the progress of a nation. “Bangladesh, with its promise of 'Digital Bangladesh', has laid a very fertile ground for technology as a foundation for the nation,” she said. “We are passionate about taking technology to the hands of the people of Bangladesh, especially children. Most children are very tech savvy when it comes to mobile phones. Exposing these children from class 1- 8 (elementary to middle school) to technology – software programming, apps & gaming – will encourage them to study science and start programming from an early age.”

Ahnaf Akib, a fifth-grader who attended the session, said, “I didn't know that coding would be this fun. Now I can tell my friends that I know how to code. The session was interesting and I want to learn coding further.”

The session was a part of a global movement called 'Hour of Coding' initiated by Code.org.