The 2026 IEB–TechWays National AI Hackathon showed over 100 schools across Southern Africa expressing interest in engaging with one of the most defining technologies of our time. This initiative reflects a fundamental shift in education: learners are moving beyond using technology to applying it with purpose. Across age groups, learner teams from Grades 6 – 12 translated conceptual understanding into practical AI-enabled solutions addressing real-world challenges such as fr