In 26 weeks at a coding school like McTaba, your child progresses through three phases. Weeks 1 to 8 cover foundations: building websites, understanding how the internet works, and writing their first code. Weeks 9 to 18 cover full-stack development and the African Stack: databases, M-Pesa integration, WhatsApp automation, and building complete applications. Weeks 19 to 26 cover AI engineering, portfolio polish, and career preparation. By the end, your child has built 8 working applications they can show employers.
Your child does not need to know how to code before joining. That is what the programme teaches. But they do need three things on day one.
A laptop. It does not need to be new or expensive. A machine that runs smoothly, has at least 8GB of memory, and can hold a charge for a few hours is enough. A capable used laptop costs KES 25,000 to KES 40,000 on platforms like Jiji or at computer shops in Luthuli Avenue.
Internet access. A stable connection, not necessarily fast. Safaricom Home Fibre or a reliable mobile data plan works. If the internet drops during a live session, your child loses time catching up.
The ability to type and use a computer comfortably. Not coding skills. Just basic computer literacy: opening files, using a browser, typing without hunting for each key for thirty seconds.
That is it. No maths prerequisite. No KCSE grade requirement. No previous programming experience.
This is where everything starts. Think of this phase as learning the alphabet before writing essays.
Weeks 1 to 2: How the web works, HTML, and CSS. Your child learns how websites are built. HTML is the structure (text, images, headings, lists). CSS is the styling (colours, fonts, layouts). By the end of week 2, they can build a basic webpage that looks like something you would find on the internet. Not beautiful yet, but functional.
If your child shows you a plain white page with some coloured text and a few boxes at this point, that is exactly where they should be. They built that from nothing.
Weeks 3 to 5: JavaScript. This is the language that makes websites interactive. When you click a button on a website and something happens (a menu opens, a form submits, a notification pops up), JavaScript is doing that. Your child learns to make their webpages respond to user actions.
JavaScript is also where many students hit their first wall. The logic is harder than HTML and CSS. If your child seems frustrated around week 4, refer to our guide on supporting your child through a bootcamp.
Weeks 6 to 8: TypeScript and React. TypeScript is a stricter version of JavaScript used by professional developers. React is a tool for building modern web applications (the ones that feel fast and smooth, like Gmail or Twitter). By week 8, your child can build a complete, interactive web application.
Ask them to show you what they built at the end of week 8. You will see a real application running in a browser. That application did not exist eight weeks ago. Your child made it.
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This is where things get serious. Phase 1 taught your child to build the front of a website, what users see. Phase 2 teaches them to build the back, everything that happens behind the scenes.
Weeks 9 to 12: Backend development and databases. Your child learns to build servers (the computers that power websites and apps) and databases (where information is stored). Think of a database like a massive filing cabinet. When you log into your bank app and see your balance, that number is stored in a database. Your child learns to build and manage these systems.
By week 12, they can build a full application: frontend (what users see) and backend (what stores and processes data). This is called "full-stack" development.
Weeks 13 to 16: The African Stack. This is what makes McTaba different from bootcamps that copy American curricula.
Weeks 17 to 18: Integration projects. Your child builds a complete application that combines everything: a frontend, a backend, a database, and M-Pesa payments. This project alone can get them interviews at Kenyan tech companies.
The final phase has three goals: learn AI engineering, polish the portfolio, and prepare for the job market.
Weeks 19 to 22: AI engineering. Your child learns to build software that uses artificial intelligence. Not building AI from scratch (that requires a PhD), but using existing AI tools to add smart features to their applications. Chatbots that understand questions. Document analysis tools. Recommendation systems like "if you liked this, you might also like that." AI skills are the fastest-growing demand in the tech job market right now.
Weeks 23 to 24: Capstone project. Your child builds their biggest project yet. They choose what to build, design it themselves, write all the code, and deploy it to the internet. This project becomes the centrepiece of their portfolio, the thing they talk about in every job interview.
Weeks 25 to 26: Career preparation. CV writing (tech CVs look different from traditional ones). Portfolio presentation. GitHub profile optimization. Mock interviews where instructors pretend to be hiring managers and ask the same technical questions real companies ask. Job search strategy: where to look, how to apply, how to follow up.
By week 26, your child has 8 deployed applications, a polished portfolio website, a professional CV, and the practice of having been through mock interviews. They are not just "someone who learned to code." They are a junior developer with proof of what they can build.
Parents want tangible evidence. Fair enough. Here is what your child can show you at each stage.
After week 2: Open your phone browser. Your child gives you a link. A website loads. It has text, images, a navigation menu, and proper styling. Your child made that. It is on the internet. Anyone with the link can see it.
After week 8: An interactive web application. Maybe a task manager, a weather app, or a simple game. You can click buttons and things happen. Data moves around. It responds to what you do.
After week 16: An application with M-Pesa integration. Your child asks you to test it. You enter your phone number, an STK Push appears on your phone asking you to pay KES 1 (in test mode, no real money moves). The app confirms the "payment" and updates the screen. Your child just demonstrated the same technology that powers real e-commerce in Kenya.
After week 26: Eight applications, all live on the internet. A portfolio website listing all of them with descriptions, links, and screenshots. You can open each one, use it, and see for yourself what 26 weeks of work produced.
This is the output. Not a certificate (though they get one). Not a grade on a transcript. Working software that lives on the internet and does real things. This is what employers look at, and this is what your KES 120,000 buys.
Some students learn faster than others. That is true in every classroom, in every subject, at every level of education.
At McTaba, students who struggle get extra support from mentors and from their cohort peers. The programme is not "learn alone from videos." It is a group experience with instructors who check progress, review code, and identify who needs help before the student gives up.
But some students do fall behind. When that happens, the most common reasons are:
If your child falls behind, the answer is usually more time on the keyboard, not more theory. Coding is like a sport. You improve by doing it, repeatedly, until the movements become automatic. Reading about coding without coding is like reading about swimming without getting in the pool.
As a parent, the best thing you can do is protect their time and ask the bootcamp for an honest update on their progress. Any good programme will tell you straight.
The programme ends. Your child has skills and a portfolio. Now what?
They apply for jobs. They send their portfolio link to companies. They attend interviews. Some graduates get offers within a month. Others take three to six months of active searching. The quality of the portfolio, interview confidence, and the job market all play a role.
While job hunting, your child should keep coding. Building new projects, contributing to open-source software, and learning new tools keeps their skills fresh. A developer who stops coding for six months after graduation loses sharpness. One who keeps building becomes stronger every week.
Some graduates start freelancing immediately. Small projects for local businesses: a website for a shop in your estate, an inventory system for a supplier, a booking page for a salon. These projects pay KES 10,000 to KES 50,000 each and build a reputation alongside the portfolio.
The bootcamp does not guarantee a job. No honest programme does. But 26 weeks of intensive training, 8 deployed projects, and practical experience with the African Stack put your child in a strong position. They are not hoping someone gives them a chance. They are showing what they can already do.
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