Johannesburg – Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga has revealed that they have identified hundreds of schools for pilot projects on coding and robotics.
This comes as the Gauteng Department of Education has in recent months launched a number of schools of specialisation.
Motshekga said that from next year they will be launching these pilot projects.
She said 1 000 primary schools have been identified for pilot projects in Grade 7 and another 569 secondary schools have been identified for piloting in Grades 8 and 9.
These are efforts to ramp-up education in primary and secondary schools.
Motshekga, who was replying to a written parliamentary question from the ANC’s Walter Letsie, said they were also working with other non-governmental organisations and Unisa on these issues.
“To date, 200 primary schools have been identified by provincial education departments for piloting coding and robotics for Grades R to 3. One thousand (1 000) primary schools have been identified for piloting in Grade 7 and 569 secondary schools have been identified to pilot to Grades 8 and 9 in 2023,” said Motshekga.
Recently, the Gauteng Department of Education launched a lab at the St Barnabas School of Specialisation in Maths, Science and ICT in Johannesburg that will focus on coding and robotics to boost kids’ digital skills.
Also in the Northern Cape, learners and educators at Vooruitsig Intermediate School in Upington welcomed their first Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) stream laboratory.
The internet-connected laboratory is fully equipped with tablets and drones and includes artificial intelligence, robotics and app development software, enabling learners to explore and experiment with the latest technologies that are driving all aspects of the modern world.
Motshekga said all pilot schools have received the draft coding and robotics Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement.
“Resources supplied by the Department of Basic Education include sample lesson plans to support educators; and provincial education departments have procured coding and robotics resources, such as tablets, laptops, sensors, micro-controllers and mechanical components. District subject advisors and school-based educators have received training and orientation." she said.
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