NCS doubles reach of digital skills programme for lower-income pupils

The technology company NCS hosted a workshop in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore, where more than 130 primary school pupils from lower-income families learned about artificial intelligence, coding, and robotics.

This event represented the largest edition of the N-Able Me! initiative, a corporate social responsibility programme that has entered its fourth year. NCS volunteers led practical, interactive sessions instead of using traditional classroom lectures.

During a three-hour workshop, pupils worked in teams to build games using Micro:bit devices, which the company provided to each child to encourage continued learning at home. The children also visited a booth where they used a custom app to generate AI images of themselves as superheroes and participated in activities involving hardware engineering. The company collaborated with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, ComLink+, Yayasan MENDAKI, and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund to provide these lessons.

NCS chief executive Sam Liew stated that the goal is to make technology an inclusive tool so that youth can see themselves as builders in the era of artificial intelligence. The programme aims to bridge the digital divide by providing early exposure to foundational digital skills regardless of a child's socio-economic background.