Coding isn’t just another enrichment activity. It inspires creativity and curiosity, develops problem-solving skills, and is super fun to boot! Today, it is also the most in-demand skill in all sectors – design, finance, healthcare, you name it! The fact that Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) is working closely with the InfoComm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to introduce all Singaporean students to basic coding in schools is a testament to the fact that we need to focus on building digital literacy in Singapore.
We couldn’t help but think of a fantastic quote that was once shared by Mr. Ong Ye Kung, our previous Minister of Education- “There are three apples that changed the world. The first tempted Eve, the second inspired Newton, and the third was offered to the world half-eaten by Steve Jobs!” Needless to say, we agree!
Statistically speaking, 50% of all high-paying jobs today require coding skills, and 70% of the coding jobs today are not even directly connected with technology. Industries like medicine, finance, and art and design today prefer to hire people with at least basic coding skills over non-coders, simply because of the undeniable fact that coding is the new standard of literacy in this tech-focused, data-driven world. Therefore, the focus of every parent today should be to improve the digital literacy of their children. Understanding technology and becoming creators of it, rather than being mere consumers is the need of the hour.
Contrary to the myth about coding being too difficult for kids to grasp, children as young as 7 years of age can and should learn how to code.
Coding elevates lives. It’s as simple. There are many examples of lives being elevated by code. Take the commendable example of young talent from Singapore, Ms. Esther Goh Yu Xian, whose interest in coding was sparked at a university open house. While browsing through computer-science related courses, the Nanyang Technological University-Georgia Tech integrated course piqued her interest. Luckily for her, the program of her choice was covered under the InfoComm Media Development Authority’s SG:D Undergraduate Scholarship. Today, she works as a Partner Engineer at Facebook.
We’ll leave you with a question we think every parent should be asking themselves today: Do we want our children to just use technology, or become a creator of it?
