78% of Grade 4 learners cannot read, but the government wants to teach them programming

[Jamie McKane]

78% of Grade 4 learners cannot read, but the government wants to teach them programming

With 78% of Grade 4 learners not being able to read with meaning, the government should use its resources on improving literacy levels instead of spending money on coding and robotics.

This is the view of Nic Spaull, a senior researcher in the Economics Department at Stellenbosch University.

 

[D tj]

Government decision adds up, teach them programming....what with the current garbage ideas coming out, WHAT went in?

 

[mister]

Can't make this **** up...

 

[Jola]

Ja, well, no fine.

 

[Jola]

This actually tells you a lot about government officials. And their IQ's.

 

[satanboy]

Robot wars = robotics

 

[yebocan]

got to get the basics right first, before moving on to BASIC...

 

[Baise]

lol .. these people that believe the SONA speech.

Its a fairy tale folks ... A story the president tells the Nation, of Great and Wonderful things, that have absolutely zero chance of materializing.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

welcome to africa

 

[Matt91]

lol .. these people that believe the SONA speech.

Its a fairy tale folks ... A story the president tells the Nation, of Great and Wonderful things, that have absolutely zero chance of materializing.

That's racist

 

[Dan C]

101010101011100101

 

[Temujin]

 

[TheChamp]

So what? Is it a trade off between reading and programming? Should they also stop them from learning any other thing because they can't read?

 

[R13...]

So what? Is it a trade off between reading and programming? Should they also stop them from learning any other thing because they can't read?

It's not. I studied with a guy who was near useless at English but brilliant at technical subjects and sciences.

 

[Solitude]

So what? Is it a trade off between reading and programming? Should they also stop them from learning any other thing because they can't read?

I'm a programmer. I make use of a programming language. It takes comprehension of said language. It certainly helps that I can read it.

 

[John_Phoenix]

Can't speak English, can't do mathematics.

I needed to use trig + a weighted sorting algo today, to graph something, and that's just a random Tuesday.

May God have mercy on their souls.

 

[Pythonista]

If you can dream it .. you can do it ... ha ha ha .... yeah sure

 

[WaxLyrical]

Government wants to show the world were at the forefront of latest developments in tech education.

Unfortunately you can't turn a shythole into a lab overnight.

 

[TheChamp]

I'm a programmer. I make use of a programming language. It takes comprehension of said language. It certainly helps that I can read it.

It is a good thing that they are not going to stop learning how to read, I would be very worried if reading was being swopped for programming.

 

[Solitude]

It is a good thing that they are not going to stop learning how to read, I would be very worried if reading was being swopped for programming.

I'd be more worried that 78% of Grade 4 learners can't read with meaning. I just can't see any of those 78% be able to do programming.

The kids need a foundation. Teach them to read and then continue from there.

The reason for this article is that instead of focusing on the foundation of reading, they want to bring in programming. If they can't even teach reading properly, how on earth will they teach programming?