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Hadi Partovi thinks the world would be a better place if more people knew how to write code. With that vision in mind, his non-profit organization, Code.org has put together a new five-minute video that extols the virtues of programming. It features tech luminaries like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, as well as less-well-known programmers like Miami Heat player Chris Bosh and musician Will.i.am. In fact, the video ends with Will.i.am asserting, “Great coders are today’s rock stars. That’s it.”
Code.org also released some startling facts about the current state of computer education, including the following:
- 9 out of 10 schools don’t even offer computer programming classes.
- In 41 out of 50 states, coding classes don’t count towards high school math or science graduation requirements.
- There will be 1 million more programming jobs than students by 2020.
- Less than 2.4 percent of college students graduate with a degree in computer science.
