Should programming be a compulsory subject in schools?

[marco79]

My son had to make his subject choices for Grade 10 last week. He decided to take pure Maths, Computer Aided Technology, Information Technology and Physical Science. That should set him up for any engineering or IT orientated careers.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Lol. Imagining my wife doing this, I'm gonna have to say no. :crylaugh:

 

[etienne_marais]

So does maths

...and physics and chemistry.

That's why I mentioned mathematics and physics ...

 

[Necropolis]

I don't think it should be.

 

[jax_maxit]

Nope. Not programming. I think other IT skills would be more useful: intro to computers, computyping, how to surf the web, how to print, the full MS Office (or LibreOffice) suite and basic troubleshooting skills should all be compulsory at EVERY school. Coding should be optional at grade 10 level.

 

[Neoprod]

^, yep - Computer Literacy.

 

[The Voice]

I know 1 awesome coder, a couple of good ones, and I've also met a lot more who are complete ****. The first guy had an intense passion for it, the second were passionate but "ok" due to limitations of their own. The last, and most common group, are the ones who have no real interest in it - they just got into it because someone told them they'd make a killing. They hold down steady jobs, sure, but they're not making a lot of money, because they don't have the passion for coding that's needed to really excel and take them to the next level. The market is flooded with them at the moment.

Making kids in high school take up another subject they may not be interested in will only lead to more coders of the latter category. And the world doesn't need anymore.

 

[GoB]

Probably more than anyone should be forced to do history, geography, biology, Afrikaans, reading Shakespeare, coordinated cheers at athletics... still not.

Some high-level formal logic as part of maths would be good.

 

[Neoprod]

Making kids in high school take up another subject they may not be interested in will only lead to more coders of the latter category. And the world doesn't need anymore.

Phrasing.

 

[The Voice]

Phrasing.

True that. They're taking our jerbs!

 

[rwenzori]

Ok, now we know who's spell checker is better

Gotcha! There's always one.

I am not the speling chequer
I'm the speling chequer's son
I'm only chequing speling
Till the speling chequer comes.

 

[biometrics]

That we need to be moving to a knowledge economy.

That everyone should be at least exposed to the basics at school. They can then decide at grade 10 whether they want to take it further or not.

It's the whole reason everything is compulsory till grade 10.

That's the besides the fact someone needs to first be exposed to something to decide whether they like it or not.

It should certainly be an available subject but not compulsory.