ICT CURRICULUM

ICT education in Bhutanese schools started modestly in the late 1980s with Gateway computers received under the Overseas Development Agency (ODA) funding. An attempt was then made to expose students to basic mouse, keyboarding and word processing skills to the extent allowed by the limited hardware capability of Intel 286/386 computers.

In the nineties, powerful computers with better graphics capability facilitated the use of graphical-based software for various purposes. People started using computers at work as well as at home. Some schools also started offering Computer Science, based on India's ICSE and ISC syllabi, as optional subjects in classes IX to XII. The optional subject had a very strong emphasis on programming.

A disparity was observed between the ICT skills taught in schools and skills required outside of schools. The demand within the country then was for ICT skills in office productivity applications than programming. To address this gap, a new ICT curriculum was developed and implemented in 2002 to equip students with skills relevant to the world of work. This was a shift from an earlier programming-centric curriculum to office productivity applications.

Over the years, there has been exponential development and innovation in ICT. With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0), defined by cutting-edge technological breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, internet of things (IoT), blockchain technology, and a host of others, the way we work, learn and interact in the 21st century is evolving. This requires literacy with ICT in addition to conventional literacy in reading, writing and numeracy. ICT competencies including coding skills will allow the learners to adapt and respond intelligently to evolving ideas, changing attitudes and emerging technologies in the knowledge economy. To address this, a new ICT curriculum framework for classes IV to XII was implemented in 2017. 

Further, with funding from the government's ICT in Education Flagship project, the ICT curriculum, as a compulsory subject for classes PP to XII was introduced in 2021. Computer laboratories were established in schools with additional computers and strengthened internet connectivity. In addition to this, His Majesty the King granted CodeMonkey, a game-based coding platform as a Royal Soelra to enhance coding skills among Bhutaned children. These initiatives for the new ICT curriculum are expected to address some of the critical requirements for youth in the digital era by focusing on ICT knowledge, skills and competencies essential for them to function in the knowledge society.