Page 18 - Kyalami Issue 2 2025

Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible Design 26
3.0 Folder (Inner)
EDUCATION

ARE OUR SCHOOLS

READY TO TEACH

CODING AND

ROBOTICS?

resident Ramaphosa, speaking at understaffed and under-resourced, beg- the need for such facilities or tablets for
the January 2023 Education Sec- ging the question of how teachers will be learners. The curriculum aims to develop
tor Lekgotla, said, “The skills that trained to teach coding and robotics, and computational thinking, critical thinking,
Pour country needs, the jobs that how they will be able to teach this techni- problem-solving skills and innovation,
can grow our economy and importantly, cal subject to students, especially in rural which are fundamental skills that could
the avenues for entrepreneurship that are schools. help bridge the skills gap in the country
so sorely needed, can best be achieved by and across the continent, equipping learn-
increasing learner access to technical and To help navigate this new educational ers with competencies for future careers
vocational subjects.” landscape, Oxford University Press South in emerging tech roles.
Africa has published The Illustrated
The demand for digital skills and litera- Coding and Robotics Dictionary, which Teaching a technical language requires
cy has grown rapidly in most industries includes key terms to help educators, that educators be trained effectively in
across South Africa, emphasising the learners, parents and guardians demystify coding and robotics, and ongoing profes-
need for learners to be skilled in coding the language of coding and robotics. sional development and support will be
and robotics when entering the workforce. crucial to the success of learners studying
The Department of Basic Education has ARE OUR SCHOOLS READY TO the subject. “The technical vocabulary and
piloted the coding and robotics curriculum TEACH THE NEW CURRICULUM? abstract concepts can feel like a foreign
in public schools, and teacher training is There have been concerns about whether language; terms like ‘algorithm’, ‘vari-
already underway. schools without the necessary infrastruc- able’, and ‘loop’ often overwhelm learners
ture such as computer laboratories, would encountering them for the first time,”
This is a positive and vital step towards be able to offer the subject properly. How- says Christo Spies, Grade 6 educator and
future-proofing our education system. That ever, the foundation phase curriculum is coding and robotics subject head at Curro
said, much of our school system remains focused on unplugged coding, eliminating
Durbanville. “The difficulty lies not just in

18 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 2 • 2025