KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — An ambitious initiative to integrate coding into the national school curricula has worried teachers groups who said they were unaware of the preparations taken for the plan meant to begin in January.
The groups expressed concern that they have not been informed of the move that not only involves educating students on coding, but also to integrate the skill into the pedagogy of teaching starting in the new school year.
National Union of the Teaching Profession president Hashim Adnan said while he believed in the importance of equipping the next generation with coding literacy, the programme may be doomed unless the proper foundation is laid before its introduction.
“If they say they are going to start in January, it’s going to be a failure if there isn’t enough preparation,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.“It definitely has to start, but there needs to be proper textbooks. But at this point, It seems like it’s only at a discussion stage if there is nothing prepared.”
Hashim cited the abolishment of the teaching and learning of science and mathematics in English (PPSMI) policy as an example of a good initiative that was executed poorly, and warned the same fate could befall coding.
Non-governmental organisation Kelab Intelek dan Pendidikan Malaysia (formerly known as Suara Guru-Masyarakat Malaysia) chief moderator Mohd Nor Izzat Mohd Johari said he was pessimistic of the implementation with just five months to go.
“Even if they start training teachers now, it will definitely create a disruption in classrooms because they need to train so many teachers in such a short period of time,” he said when contacted by Malay Mail Online.They said they had conducted a pilot programme, but what are the results of the programme?”
“There needs to be a systematic way to scrutinise the studies conducted and the details of how it can be implemented throughout the country,” he added.
He said with no details on the level of the programme’s integration, there is an added fear that not all schools would have the infrastructure to implement technology-based syllabuses.
Both groups said they were not aware of any teachers being tapped for training or who were informed of the introduction of coding.
On Monday, Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation chief executive Datuk Yasmin Mahmood confirmed with reporters that coding will be officially added to the syllabuses of national schools starting next year.
The full details, however, she said will only be revealed during its official announcement in August.
Malay Mail Online understands that the integration of coding will be as part of the teaching pedagogy for selected subjects in the standard one curriculum starting next year, while a new subject dedicated to coding will be introduced for those entering Forms One and Four but only in selected schools as an elective.MALAY MAIL ONLINE
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