Limited Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure, especially in remote schools worries teachers as the government urges schools to incorporate ICT as a compulsory subject.
Teachers attending the coding workshop in Gelegphu raised this concern as the Prime Minister suggested that schools make ICT a compulsory subject to keep up with rigorously transforming digital world.
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering informed the teachers that he will take up the proposal of incorporating ICT as a compulsory subject with the Education Ministry and other stakeholders for discussion. He said leaving ICT as an optional subject is not a wise decision at a time when ICT knowledge has become imperative for the youth to keep up with the ever-changing digital world.
“Everything is there. You really don’t need to have a physical instructor or teacher with you but require one’s interest. My request is you all are pioneers and when in ten-fifteen years when school system gets revolutionized through this, when our students start doing very well, when our students are equipped with 21st-century knowledge and skills that they require, it will be through this,” said Dr Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister.
While the teachers acknowledge that ICT is imperative, they are concerned about the even implementation of ICT in schools across the country irrespective of remoteness. They shared that there is a digital divide because of which some senior teachers still prefer to stick with the traditional education system.
“It is difficult for schools in remote areas to get access to ICT facilities. My school is in an urban area and have access to ICT facilities. But I have heard from some young teachers in remote areas that they do not get support from senior teachers in adopting ICT system out of fear that machines can be unreliable,” shares a Participant.
“Computers are not sufficient. On top of that, internet access is a necessity for the ICT based teaching. Looking at the current scenario where we do not have good internet services even in the urban, I doubt if we can do this in remote schools,” another added.
The Prime Minister urged teachers to professionally discuss and work out a way to implement ICT across all grades in schools throughout the country.
During the two-month-long workshop, more than 200 teachers are being trained on revised ICT coding by IT professionals from LEAP Learner, the world’s largest coding education company. Teachers were trained to use programming languages such as Python, Pyleap and Scratch with more focus on Python. The schools with ICT lab and teachers will be introducing Python language in their respective schools starting this year.
Education Ministry plans to introduce the revised ICT curriculum for classes PP to 12 by next year.
Karma Wangdi
