Canada Puts up 38 Million Bucks to Teach Kids to Code
























You know what’s all the rage these days? Those computer thingies, especially the tablet-y ones and those crazy phones with the big screens. Today’s kids are immersed in computers and apps pretty much from day one.
That’s why it’s so important to make sure they aren’t just learning by using gadgets. There’s a lot to be said for learning how the software that powers those devices and experiences works but learning to code has value that goes way beyond understanding software.
As Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains put it, “coding teaches our young people how to work as a team to solve difficult problems in creative ways.” “That’s how they will become the next great innovators and entrepreneurs that Canada needs to succeed,” he added.
To create those innovators and entrepreneurs, the Canadian government is putting its money where its mouth is. Officials announced that they will pour almost $38 million ($50 million CAD) into a new education initiative called CanCode.
The funds are being made available to non-profit organizations that have at least three years of relevant experience… think things like summer code camps, after-school STEAM programs, and kid-friendly maker spaces.
Over the next two years, it’s hoped that the money will help half a million Canadian children take part in classes that teach coding and “other digital skills.” This isn’t a program that’s just aimed at older kids, either. The official CanCode guidelines state that even kindergartners can get in on the action.
It’s never too early to start leading kids down the path to geekdom, right?

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