A new report reveals that half of high schools in New York’s Capital Region do not offer any computer science courses, sparking concern among educators, policymakers, and technology experts about whether students are being adequately prepared for an artificial intelligence-driven future. The findings, published by the Center for an Urban Future, highlight a pervasive gap in foundational technology education just as computational literacy becomes an increasingly essential skill for navigating tomorrow’s job market (Times Union).
The topic hits home for Thai educators and families, as Thailand’s own digital economy ambitions hinge on a workforce able to think computationally and adapt to rapid technological change. Given Southeast Asia’s rising digital transformation and the government’s drive for “Thailand 4.0,” the issue of how—and whether—to weave computer science into the education system is of immediate local relevance.
According to the Center’s report, only 52% of New York State’s public high schools offered at least one basic computer science course in the 2024-2025 academic year. In the Capital Region, the opportunities are even more uneven. For example, only 3 of 11 public high schools in Rensselaer County offered such courses, compared with 9 out of 11 in Albany County. Small rural schools face particular difficulties, often lacking funding or staff with the necessary expertise. The situation echoes in Thailand, where urban-rural educational disparities are a persistent challenge—especially in technical and digital fields (World Bank).
Education leaders say the lack of computer science access is more than a curriculum issue. “It has to be treated as a core subject like math or science or language. In an AI-driven world, every student needs computational fluency to navigate society,” stressed the editorial and policy director at the Center for an Urban Future. Indeed, “computational thinking”—a blend of logical, step-by-step problem solving and pattern recognition—underpins not just programming, but also data analysis, robotics, business, finance, and even social sciences.
For many students, lack of computer science choices creates knock-on effects. In some schools, students aiming for Advanced Placement courses or vocational training through programs like BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) must sacrifice one for the other because of scheduling conflicts. The principal at Scotia-Glenville High School described how, despite strong demand—two sections fill up each year—most students still graduate without exposure to computer science due to these logistical barriers.
Rural schools are hit even harder. At Duanesburg, a small Schenectady County high school, the computer science teacher’s departure means no computer science will be offered this year. The principal is not alone in this struggle, and the broader shortage of qualified teachers—especially those with computer science backgrounds—continues to stymie efforts to expand the subject’s reach. This mirrors experiences in Thai rural districts, where IT teachers are often in short supply and must juggle multiple subjects (Bangkok Post).
While some might question whether computer science is still relevant in an era dominated by generative AI tools capable of coding, analyzing reports, and visualizing data, experts resolutely disagree. The chair of Computer Science at the University of Albany was emphatic: “As Mark Twain once said, the rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated. In the 21st century, everybody needs to be computer literate.” AI, he says, supports rather than replaces human software developers, handling tedious tasks while leaving high-level problem-solving firmly in human hands. “AI cannot supply the high-level problem-solving skills that humans have. Besides, humans are needed to make better AI programs.”
These insights resonate in Thailand, where the National Digital Economy and Society Commission has repeatedly called for upgrades in digital skills across the education spectrum. Efforts such as the “Coding for All” campaign from the Ministry of Education seek to introduce basic programming and computational thinking in Thai schools, yet implementation has been inconsistent and often hampered by teacher shortages and limited resources, particularly beyond Bangkok and big cities (Thai PBS World).
One solution suggested by the Center for an Urban Future’s policy director is to avoid making computer science a siloed subject and instead integrate computational thinking into other lessons, such as science, social studies, or even storytelling. For example, a logic-based game in a Thai literature class could teach algorithmic thinking, or a mathematics module might introduce data analysis using coding tools. This integrative approach has been tested in Thai pilot programs, supported by international organizations such as UNESCO, with promising early results—but scaling up remains a complex challenge given the country’s resource constraints.
The lack of compulsory computer science curriculum in New York mirrors the current policy situation in Thailand, where coding is only encouraged, not required, and where access often depends on the vision and resources of individual school administrators. The Center’s editorial and policy director advocates for a dedicated director of computer science at the state level, tasked with ensuring that all students receive “meaningful exposure” to computational thinking, training existing teachers to deliver the content, and pushing higher education institutions to incorporate computational pedagogy into teacher training programs. This recommendation lines up with moves in Thailand, where top officials at the Ministry of Education have discussed the need for systemic reforms and renewed investment in teacher training, curriculum development, and digital infrastructure (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
Balancing innovation with practicality is also key. The Center’s policy director argues that “the vision here isn’t every young person should get a stand-alone computing science class,” but rather that computational thinking should be everywhere—woven into existing lessons. This approach can help sidestep the issue of crowded timetables and teacher shortages, both in American and Thai schools.
Still, the ripple effects of failing to provide foundational digital skills are clear. “Those who do not [study computational thinking] will not fare well in the future job market. They are going to be left behind,” cautioned the Center’s editorial and policy director. This warning is particularly relevant as Thailand seeks to position itself as a digital hub for ASEAN under the “Thailand 4.0” vision. Without a broad-based computationally literate population, the country risks seeing its digital dividends accrue only to those who have access—deepening both social and geographic divides (ADB Southeast Asia).
Historical and cultural context can help explain the barriers. Both in the United States and Thailand, traditional education systems have prioritized rote learning and standardized testing over 21st-century skills like coding, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Recent curriculum reforms, from New York to Bangkok, are still taking root and face an uphill struggle against longstanding resource gaps and inertia (Brookings Institution). Moreover, the sudden advance of generative AI in the past two years has made it even more urgent to cultivate not just digital consumers but digital creators and critical thinkers.
Looking ahead, the debate over computer science education is likely to intensify as more jobs—even outside the tech sector—require at least some digital fluency. Already, the World Economic Forum predicts that up to 85 million jobs worldwide could be displaced by automation by 2025, but another 97 million new roles may emerge that require new, often digital, skills (World Economic Forum). For Thailand, where manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture are being transformed by digital platforms and automation, the stakes are especially high.
So what can educators, parents, and policymakers in Thailand do in light of these findings? First, schools should audit their current offerings and expand options for learning computational thinking, whether through formal classes or cross-curricular activities. Teacher training programs—such as those under Thailand’s Teacher Professional Development Institute—must prioritize computational pedagogy and offer robust professional learning for existing staff. At the same time, policymakers should consider aligning Thailand’s educational standards with those of leading digital economies, possibly moving towards making computer science or coding compulsory across all schools. Finally, parents and students should be advocates for their own futures—seeking out online resources, coding clubs, and community workshops when school offerings fall short. Free platforms like Code.org, Scratch, and local Thai initiatives such as “Young Digital Changemakers” provide valuable supplementary opportunities (Code.org Thailand).
The message from both sides of the Pacific could not be clearer: in a world increasingly shaped by AI and automation, computational thinking is not a luxury, but a necessity. Thai society, with its rich tradition of adaptation and innovation, is well-placed to embrace this new core skill—provided that stakeholders act now to bridge the digital education divide.