After providing training for coding and STEM Education, the Delhi government has launched the CODE-A-THON program to teach coding to 12,000 students of Delhi schools.
Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia launched the CODE-A-THON campaign in collaboration with a media group.
“If your intention is at the right place then the entire universe comes together to support you. This is what has happened with us when different organizations came together on one platform to teach coding to our children. After providing training for coding and STEM Education, run by SheCodes and Ernst & Young last year respectively, we decided to launch the CODE-A-THON program for 12,000 students of the Delhi Government School," Sisodia said while launching the campaign.
As part of the CODE-A-THON campaign, students will go through self-learning modules on coding and will get an opportunity to practice it. They will take part in the various quiz and based on that, they will jump to the next level. There will be a grand finale in December where students will get an opportunity to showcase their projects.
“We started coding project in January this year in collaboration with SheCodes foundation where 870 girl students have been given training till now. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to make it online. Now, with the HT Media coming onboard, we envision this program to become even bigger," he added.
At the launch event, 6 students from the SheCodes project presented their animated videos. These students have made the videos from the scratch on their smartphones using their thinking ability, voice-overs, and many other tools. Students made videos on various topics such as "Good Touch-Bad Touch," "Saving the Environment," "Beti Padhao Beti Bachao," "Public Awareness about coronavirus" among many others.
While sharing their experiences, many students said they did not know anything about coding when they started but now have developed interest in this. Few of them want to use this opportunity and are aiming to become software engineer.
Sisodia congratulated all the students and interacted with them to know about their journey and the obstacles they faced.
“Steve Jobs once said coding is the new generations’ liberal art. It is not about programming, designing, or creating some videos, it is about creating art. Coding helps you to think, that is why it is important to learn to code. Today, I could see how it is enabling our school children to start thinking. There was a girl who made a video on early childhood marriage where she mentioned that the girl was helpless. While watching the video a thought crossed my mind that now she will not be helpless, she will be able to code.” He added, “We endeavor to make coding a language so accessible that can be used on a day-to-day basis, like Hindi, English or any other language,” he said.
“Today we dream of sending our children abroad for quality education. Imagine a day, when a parent sitting in the USA or Japan starts thinking about sending their child to India for getting a quality education. That will be the day when we will finally succeed. The entire education department should come together to work on this dream,” the Dy CM said.
He said today marks an important milestone in building India into a Vishwa-Guru. "It may take time, but with initiatives like these, I am confident that we are moving ahead in the right direction.”
He also interacted with all the computer teachers. He said that our teachers are working very hard to provide strong academic skills to our students. He thanked all the volunteers from IIT Delhi who mentored these students at regular intervals.
Sisodia said, “SheCodes and CODE-A-THON are part of our initial journey. Delhi government will undertake many such initiatives to build coding, robotics, and other futuristic skills in the students.”
