Delhi Government School Students shine in HT Codeathon
Can you talk to your computer? Of course you can! And do you know the language it understands? A computer communicates in a language called coding. Learning it helps us instruct the computer to perform specific functions. It allows us to create software programmes, websites, apps and video games. Without it, we would have none of the popular technologies we so heavily rely on these days, such as our smart phones, Facebook, or the browser we choose to read blogs. All of these run on codes.
At a time when India is stressing on the importance of technology, computer science and engineering, more so for children who now constantly handle the computer ever since the lockdown was imposed, it is imperative that they are taught coding.
Coding is not just about typing lines of codes; it is more about thinking logically and differently. It hones children’s problem-solving skills and helps them think. They learn that if one code does not work, another will. Programming teaches them to experiment and gives them the confidence to be creative. The best part about coding is that it is easy to pick up. In fact, a two-year-old recently made news by making it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest to create a computer programme! This testifies the fact that it makes sense to introduce coding to children in their foundation years.
In Delhi, the government has taken several steps to improve the academic environment of schools, and aims to realise its dream of a “Shikshit Rashtra, Samarth Rashtra”. Its efforts have yielded good results. This year, the pass percentage of Delhi government school students who appeared in Class XII Central Board of Secondary Education exam was an astounding 99 percent!
The government’s vision is to empower young children so that they have a 21st Century mindset and are able to get all available opportunities. It is restructuring the teaching and learning processes, and has decided to invest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education for students. To revolutionise primary education, it has partnered with HT Codeathon to train students in coding.
HT Codeathon has designed self-learning modules for students from Class VI to Class IX. In a comprehensive 20-hour online interactive course, students of Classes VI and VII will learn to design HTML web pages. Class VIII and Class IX students will get the opportunity to find answers to computer problems using Python and Game Development. As parents will track their wards’ progress, children will be provided offline support by computer teachers.
At present, 12,469 students from about 1,000 Delhi government schools are being trained in coding and programming skills under HT Codeathon. They will be scored when they complete all their tutorials and quizzes, and will be encouraged to participate in the all-India championship. The top 100 performers will participate in the finale and compete to become the HT Codeathon Champion.
Seven students from Delhi government schools have managed to reach this top bracket. Five students have excelled in the North zone by holding ranks within the top ten. These are: Vineet Singh Bisht of Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya, Civil Lines, holding fifth rank; Shitanshu of Virchander Singh Garhwali Government Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, J Block, Saket, holding sixth rank; Mohd Assiim of Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Tukhmirpur, holding seventh rank; Md Shaheb, also of Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Tukhmirpur, holding eighth rank; and Ajay Kumar of Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Tuglakabad village.