The Scottish Government has announced that every primary and secondary school across Scotland will receive support to refresh computing science for pupils.
A new £1.3m fund means that secondary schools can bid for grants of up to £3,000 to purchase additional computing science equipment, devices, software or teaching resources.
Every school will also receive two class sets of pocket-sized computers that introduce pupils to how software and hardware work together.
The move follows on from Mark Logan’s independent Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review , which in August 2020 recommended increased investment to improve computing science provision in schools.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “It is essential that we have as many talented young people leaving schools with the skills Scotland’s technology sector and wider economy fundamentally depends upon.
“This investment aims to refresh computing science lessons for learners - equipping them with the skills they need for careers in tech.”
Logan said: “It’s vital to the future supply of talent into Scotland’s tech sector that computing science at school level is elevated to the same level of importance as other STEM subjects.
“The additional funding announced by the Scottish Government and the formation of STACS, which makes teachers major participants in advancing the subject in Scotland, are key building blocks on the way to that goal.”
The Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS), an organisation based at the University of Glasgow to spread best practice in computing science in schools, received a grant of £67,500 to set up and run the programme,
Its leaders, Toni Scullion and Brendan McCart, said: “This initiative recognises the importance of computing science as a subject in schools and the integral part it plays in Scotland’s ambition for a digital nation.”
Don't miss the latest headlines with our twice-daily newsletter - sign up here for free.
