To help prepare our nation’s youth to compete in the modern digital economy (and for a future in which robots have taken all of our jobs, except for robot programmers), the Minister of Communication and Information, Rudiantara, says Indonesia will begin incorporating lessons about computer coding into the curriculum of vocational schools starting next year.
“I’ve met with Pak [Anies Baswedan, the Minister of Education]. At first we wanted it in high schools, but on second thought, decided to implement it in vocational schools (SMKs) first,” Rudiantara told Kompas last Thursday, adding that coding would be more in line with the interests and talents of vocational school students.
Rudiantara went on to say that while he would still needed to discuss the details of the plan with Anies, they had agreed to incorporate coding into the curriculum starting in 2016.
The Communications and Information Minister said that many young Indonesian have created their own successful applications, despite most of them being self-taught coders.
“So far, they’re mostly self-taught. And if self-taught kids can accomplish so much, imagine if we [taught them coding] in schools,” Rudiantara said.
