Education department to start training teachers on coding
New curriculum comes into effect from 2020 as SA prepares for the fourth industrial revolution
As the government moves to prepare the country for the fourth industrial revolution, the department of basic education says it will soon begin training teachers for a new coding curriculum. Concerns have been raised previously that SA’s education and labour system appears to not be ready for the inevitable shift to the fourth industrial revolution. A recent study by global consultancy firm Accenture found that close to 6-million jobs in SA will be at risk over the next seven years due to automation. The study highlighted that both blue and white-collar jobs are at risk. These occupations include those of clerks, cashiers, bank tellers, construction workers, mining and maintenance staff. Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed members of a presidential commission on the fourth industrial revolution to recommend policies, strategies and plans to position SA as a competitive player in the digital space. In his state of the nation address in February, Ramaphosa emphasised the...
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