The Department of Basic Education gazetted changes to its National Policy pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements Grades R to 12, officially adding coding and robotics to the subjects roster to be offered from grades R to 9.
The department has been piloting coding and robotics as a school subject for several years, implementing it with a small test group in grades R to 3 in 2021.
The gazette which was released on Friday, 7 June, officially adds the subject to grades R to 9 in the National Curriculum Statement, but not grades 10 to 12 as yet.
According to BusinessTech, the subject is included alongside mathematics for grades R to 3 and included alongside mathematics, natural sciences and technology for grades 4 to 9.
In terms of approved subjects for the National Qualifications Framework, it is listed under among other STEM subjects such as computer applications technology, mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, information technology and maths literacy.
STEM subjects in South Africa include science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
To read the full gazette, you can download it here.
Article written by Tauhira Ajam for Cape Town ETC.
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