On 4th February 2014 ‘Year of Code’ was launched in the UK, a campaign designed to raise awareness and interest in computer programming. According to Rohan Silva, Chairman of the project, ‘Computer coding is the lingua franca of the global technology economy … If the UK is to remain at the vanguard of innovation worldwide, we need to ensure that our workforce is equipped with the skills of the 21st century, not of the past. Year of Code is all about making sure this vital change takes place – and fast.’
A number of events will be held over the coming year to promote coding, including a week this March during which every school in the UK will be encouraged to teach pupils at least one hour of basic programming.
Backing ‘Year of Code’, the UK Government has just confirmed £500,000 of matched-funding to be awarded to ‘expert computer organisations’ who are prepared to provide another 50 per cent of funding for projects to train new and existing teachers about delivery of the UK’s new tech-oriented computing curriculum – the Department for Education is introducing a new compulsory computing syllabus this September for all students between the ages of 5 and 16. This year the UK will be the first major G20 economy to place coding at the heart of the school curriculum on a national level.