The government of Goa has announced the introduction of Coding and Robotics courses in the state’s government schools in the upcoming academic year. This announcement follows the budgetary allocation of Rs. 25 crore for a ‘CM-Coding and Robotics education in schools’ scheme, or CM-CARES. The implementation will be carried out in phases, starting with students of Class 6, 7 and 8, as per reports.

Each government and aided high school will get a lab to implement the scheme. Children will be taught computing to promote problem solving, computational thinking and critical reasoning skills, at par with mathematics and science. “A provision of Rs 16.5 crores is made towards the upgradation of hardware, software in the existing computer labs in the schools,” a notification states. 

The scheme will be implemented through existing computer teachers and additional teachers appointed on fellowship or contract basis for advanced training in robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc. “The directorate of technical education will appoint and engage ‘Teach For Goa' fellows, volunteers and mentors as teachers for advanced part of the curriculum and for providing trouble-shooting & teaching guidance to the existing computer teachers,” the scheme states. 

The scheme will be implemented through the Directorate of Technical Education and shall be valid for five years.