The Education Ministry is set to introduce computer coding classes to the national syllabus next year. Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) CEO Datuk Yasmin Mahmood says that it will not only be taught as part of the computer science syllabus, but also be incorporated into other subjects like mathematics and science.
“We will be launching this thing called the digital maker movement next month, where coding is embedded as an official curriculum in schools, starting from standard three onwards,” she told a forum organised by Google Malaysia.
The idea is that this will teach Malaysian students to be more than simply consumers of technology, and allow them to contribute as technology makers. According to Yasmin, the new syllabus is already being tested as part of a pilot programme in 22 schools in the country.
No details about the new coding syllabus have been revealed as of yet. However, Yasmin says that there will be more information about the programme in August. Whether this information will come from MDEC or the Education Ministry is uncertain.
Governments around the world have been pushing for students to learn to code, believing that it is an important part of the digital economy. Incorporating coding into the national school syllabus will allow Malaysia to be at the forefront of officially teaching the increasingly necessary skill.
[Source: The Malay Mail Online]
