Japan introduces compulsory elementary programming lessons
Little Japanese will learn the basics of programming from a young age. By decision of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (yes, in Japan it is one ministry ), programming will become a compulsory subject in a primary school from 2020, a compulsory subject in high school from 2021 and a compulsory subject in high school from 2022 . Programming improves the logical thinking and creative abilities of children.
In elementary school, programming will be taught in a playful way. Educational materials have been developed, for example, where children write programs for controlling game characters, composing an algorithm from peculiar "building blocks".
In elementary school, programming lessons are likely to add to the curriculum on the subject of "science."
In some prefectures of Japan, programming has already been introduced as a compulsory subject in elementary school on the initiative of the school administration, public organizations and companies. The first experiments showed a positive result, and now these prefectures will set an example for the national curriculum.
In high school, the Ministry of Education plans to remake and enrich those simple programming examples that are now being taught in labor classes. In high school, they will leave the current advanced programming lessons, but they will become mandatory.
Changes in the school curriculum are caused by high demand for programmers in the labor market. It is assumed that in the future this demand will only increase. In addition, programming skills are increasingly required for people in everyday life: to control household appliances, gadgets, etc.
Since childhood, a graduate of school who knows programming will never get lost in the labor market and will be ready for modern life.
In some other countries, programming has already become a compulsory subject of the school curriculum. In 2000, Israel went for it. In 2014, in the United Kingdom, a compulsory education programming program for children from the age of 5 was presented.
Probably, for the best effect, programming lessons in non-English speaking countries should be accompanied by compulsory study of English in elementary school.