<Anchor> The
government has decided to double the time for informatization classes in elementary and middle schools from now on.
Then, more and more academies are offering so-called 'coding classes' that make programs not only for elementary school students, but also for kindergarteners.
Reporter Jeong Da-eun covered it.
<Reporter>
Coding academy in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
7-year-old kids are in the process of assembling Legos by following the drawings on the computer screen.
You learn the principle of 'coding' to make various programs with a Lego model.
Even though the cost of the precinct alone is 500,000 to 600,000 won, 75 kindergarteners and elementary school students registered within half a year of opening.
[Jun Park / Director of Coding Academy: I have a feeling that inquiries have increased a bit.
Mothers may not know the coding itself yet, but they have some doubts about the part of their child's coding or want to experience it more.]
From 2025, the government will reduce the informatization class for 5th and 6th graders of elementary school from 17 hours a year. to 34 hours, middle school plans to double from 34 hours to 68 hours.
Parents were quick to respond.
[Mom Yoon/Parents: Even if I go to college later, it will have a lot to do with my job in elementary, middle and high school, even further in the future.
Everyone knows it's necessary, but they don't know how...
.
I think I found out about it at the school.]
On SNS, articles are being posted saying that some private kindergartens have also started coding classes in response to the demands of parents.
Some experts have expressed concern about overheating coding education.
[Hyun-Chul Kim/Professor of Computer Science Department at Korea University: Hagwons started competing with each other, and competitions were just increasing.
.]
The Ministry of Education also said that it will prepare meticulously so that students can learn coding while having fun just with school classes.
(Video editing: Yoon Tae-ho, VJ: Oh Se-gwan, Shin So-young)