It is far better to be a B student in computer science than an A+ student in English.<\/p>\n
This is according to Laszlo Bock<\/a>, senior vice president of people operations for Google<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bock told Thomas Friedman in a New York Times interview that Google has a few hiring attributes across the company<\/strong><\/a>, including:<\/p>\n Bock downplayed the importance of a degree, saying that “the world only cares about \u2014 and pays off on \u2014 what you can do with what you know”.<\/p>\n In his interview Bock also touched<\/strong><\/a> on a topic which is particularly relevant in a South African context: the need for more students taking and passing mathematics and science related subjects.<\/p>\n In response to a student who wanted to drop computer science in preference of an easier course, he said: “You are much better off being a B student in computer science than an A+ student in English”.<\/p>\n He explained that the computer science course signals a rigor in thinking and a more challenging course load.<\/p>\n In South Africa, only 43% of matric students sat the standard mathematics paper – a 17% decline in the number of candidates who wrote mathematics between 2009 and 2013.<\/p>\n The situation for science looks even worse: only 33% of matrics took science, and only a quarter of these students received a mark over 50%.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, South Africa is suffering from a shortage of engineers and related science professionals. BA graduates, on the other hand, find it challenging to be employed.<\/p>\n The situation is so dire that former Naspers CEO Koos Bekker has warned<\/strong><\/a> that SA\u2019s poor education system is hurting Internet developments and investments in the country by not developing enough engineers to drive the country forward.<\/p>\n \u201cTo get an engineer you need a kid who is enthused about mathematics, and is prepared to study engineering at university,\u201d said Bekker.<\/p>\n \u201cRegrettably our education system is so poor it simply does not yield the mathematics geniuses we need to go to university to become engineers.\u201d<\/p>\n Matric results a fraud: experts<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Poor education hurting SA\u2019s Internet industry: Naspers CEO<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n
South Africa’s poor education system<\/h3>\n
More on education in South Africa<\/h3>\n