With the increasing concerns about cyber security among families, and with increased teacher and student reliance on internet accessibility, teaching cyber security as a subject in school is of great significance than ever reported by India Today.
Alarmingly, most schools are not being sufficiently aggressive in getting ahead and start taking cyber security as a regular subject in schools.
Earlier this year we looked at the largest global cyber attack that changed how social networking websites handle privacy and security — not just for the minors online but for all Internet users. However, teachers can help children learn responsible behaviour online.
Survey by the National Cyber Security Alliance and Microsoft:
A recent survey undertaken by the National Cyber Security Alliance and Microsoft showed that 91 per cent of teachers, 92 per cent of tech coordinators, and 99 per cent of administrators believed this should be taught.
The survey examined administrators, teachers, and technology coordinators
Despite that agreement, the survey found a huge gulf between perceptions of how well and how often cyber safety is taught.
While 81 per cent of teachers and administrators felt that their schools and districts adequately taught the subject, only 51 per cent of teachers agreed with the statement, “My school/school district does an adequate job of preparing students regarding cyber ethics, online safety, and computer security issues.”
Blue Whale challenge:
Moreover, with the recent Blue Whale challenge which is believed to be a suicide game wherein a group of administrators gives a participant task to complete daily, for a period of 50 days, the final being committing suicide, is believed to be triggered through a social network website, with 20 cases already reported in India and school students falling for the game, 11 committing suicide and 9 being nearly escaped, it makes it vital to teach students about protecting their safety and privacy online and about cyber bullying.
Some instructors are said to be capitalising on this gap in schools curriculum and have been dreaming up creative ways to get kids and school officials interested in lesson plans on digital safety stating that students really need to consider that what they share online can impact themselves and others.
Additionally, the cyber security industry is said to be growing exponentially with a boom in the industry, educating students about security may have an unintended consequence of kids taking this as career. Experts agreed that more schools are realising that a one-time assembly or guest speaker on cyber security won’t be sufficient in today’s fast paced environment.
-Authored article by Abhimanyu, Cyber Security Analyst at Ernst & Young LLP
