Empowering the Next Generation

Programming Contests for Elementary Students

"Tech Kids Grand Prix" is one of the Japan's largest programming contests, which under its slogan of "You are the creators of the 21st century," judges contest entries from three perspectives: VISION (the dream or world the student wants to realize); PRODUCT (the creative idea that will realize that dream and the product embodying it); and PRESENTATION (the student's approach to communicating their vision and product to the world). To provide opportunities for more children to feel a sense of purpose in learning to program, we provide free administrative support to roll out the programming contest through cooperation with local governments throughout Japan.

 

The 2021 contest, the fourth year since its launch, attracted 3,122 entries from all over Japan, 1.4 times more than the previous year. Ten elementary school students who were selected through the first to fourth rounds of judging presented their works at the final presentation held on December 5.

Programming Skills Certification Test

In February 2020, CyberAgent established Programming Research Institute, a joint venture with SPRIX Corporation, which operates tutoring schools such as "Morijuku" and "Independent Learning RED", to develop and implement programming certification programs. Since December 2020, we have been regularly conducting the Programming Skills Certification Test for elementary, junior high, and high school students with the aim of cultivating the ability to code, which will become a compulsory subject in high schools in 2022 and will be included in the new subject "Information" in the Common Test for University Admissions in 2024. By taking the test, students will be able to objectively analyze and evaluate their understanding of programming concepts, confirm the progress of their learning, and make effective learning plans for the future.