Students from nine public primary schools have learnt the value of hard work as well as computer coding in the first round of classes offered at the ConnecTech IT school.

Company head Coral Wells said that students had discovered animation and how to create miniature games over the ten-week course. “We gave them guidelines and then asked them to make it their own,” Ms Wells said. “We always teach our children to colour inside the lines — here, we like to teach them to think outside the box.”

The classes were organised in tandem with the Ministry of Education and Workforce Development. Youngsters acquired life skills as well: to garner the final certificate, they had to show their attendance at eight out of the ten classes.

Ms Wells explained: “For the future, Bermuda needs software developers and engineers. This is the start of it.”

Education minister Diallo Rabain, who joined the presentation yesterday, said that Ms Wells had been one of the first people he met as minister.

Mr Rabain praised the Hamilton Insurance Group for their support. “They provided funding from top to bottom — our hats are off to them,” he added.

The programme drew 180 students, with 153 completing successfully. Ms Wells said the ne xt round featuring another nine schools was set to proceed next month.