The Department of Basic Education (DBE) says its coding and robotics curriculum pilot in select grades is “progressing well”.
The department resumed the pilot project this year, after it was forced to halt it as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic saw schools being closed during the hard lockdown, and schools later implemented rotational timetables, which also impacted learning.
Taking to its Twitter social media page, the DBE reveals it has been conducting monitoring visits at some of the 840 pilot schools across the country for the past few weeks.
“For the grades in the foundation phase, coding activities are taught using digital platforms that are easy to learn and fun for learners to engage with,” it notes.
To address SA’s critical skills gap, the DBE has committed to increase skills development and competencies to prepare learners for the fourth industrial revolution.
The DBE says a coding and robotics curriculum will develop learners’ ability to solve problems, think critically, work collaboratively and creatively, function in a digital and information-driven world, apply digital and ICT skills, and transfer these skills to solve everyday problems.
As a result, the department revealed in March 2019 that it was developing a coding and robotics curriculum pilot for grades R to 9.
The pilot, according to the DBE, is in line with its education priorities, to equip learners in all public schools with skills and competencies for a changing world. At the time, the department indicated the curriculum would be piloted in 1 000 schools across the country.
Furthermore, as part of the pilot, the department is focusing on upskilling of teachers to be trained to teach this new subject, in collaboration with higher education institutions.
According to the department’s annual performance plan for 2022/2023, the full-scale implementation for Grade R to Grade 3, and Grade 7 is planned for the academic year 2023.
For other grades from 4 to 9, the two subjects of robotics and coding will be on the pilot from 2022 to 2023, and full-scale implementation in these grades will be seen between 2024 and 2025.
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