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Alex Lo

My Take | How to build schools for 21st century

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Students of Shak Chung Shan Memorial Catholic Primary School on their e-class in their school's sport ground in Tsuen Wan. Photo: Edward Wong
Alex Loin Toronto

Did you know that Skype was developed in Estonia? I didn't, until I read reports that public schools in the former Soviet state will start teaching students computer coding from grade one onwards.

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The idea seems so revolutionary that super pundit Thomas Friedman, magazine and the newspaper have asked whether their own governments should introduce similar curriculums.

A while ago, I asked the same question in a column about teaching coding in local schools.

The Estonian hi-tech industry has been booming, thanks in part to the success of Skype, first developed in 2003. But many of these firms are having trouble hiring programming talent - hence the government's school reform, which now offers STEM with a C (science, technology, engineering and maths with coding).

Many - if not most - schools in Hong Kong have daily IT classes. However, they mostly teach pupils how to use their computers and software applications.

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I am not saying that's not useful. Many apps are powerful, and certainly enhance learning and productivity. But coding hones maths and logic skills, and its syntax makes it somewhat like learning a language.

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