Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) are teaming up for a very special project that could change the future of technology. The companies are working together with the UK Government to help recruit and train a new generation of computer science teachers.
Computer science program in most UK public schools are relatively lacking as most of the teachers don’t go behind the basics of operating a computer. Last year, Eric Schmidt from Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) warned the UK that they were throwing away their computer heritage, when he found out that computer science wasn’t a standard taught in most of their schools. Months later, the government minister complained about their IT programs, describing them as “catastrophically boring”.
Earlier this year, the government decided to do away with the old ICT curriculum and launch a new computer science program instead. Although the new program won’t launch until 2014, they are gearing up to review it in advance.
The UK government has also announced their plan to recruit better computer science teachers. They’ve enlisted help from Microsoft’s Carl Bishop, who shared the following statement:
“Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is passionate about improving the way that we teach technology in schools, but also how we use technology to teach. As founding members of the Computing at School working group, we’ve been working to inspire both teachers and young people about the importance of computer science for a number of years.
Scholarships such as those announced today will be vital in ensuring that the UK maintains a healthy pipeline of computer science talent, which can only be a positive thing for this country’s future prosperity.”
Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is also taking part in the initiative. They’re working with International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM), BT Group plc (NYSE:BT), and a few other tech companies to create the Computer Science Initial Teacher Training program. The social media website is also teaming up with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) to draw up a document of minimum requirements for potential computer science teachers, before they apply to the training course.
There will also be fifty £20,000 scholarships for first year students. These scholarships were designed to recruit top IT graduates into their teaching program.
