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4 Ways To Prioritize Cybersecurity Education In Schools

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CIOL Bureau
New Update
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India ranks 3rd among the nations facing cybersecurity threats. With the current shortage of cybersecurity workers, we need to focus on cybersecurity from the grass-root level. In order to curb cyber threats, we need highly skilled professionals. To do so, its high time for strengthening cybersecurity education in our country. It requires transforming schools' mindsets as quickly as possible by inculcating cybersecurity in the curriculum.

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Though higher education should of course continue its efforts, cybersecurity training needs to start in kindergarten and continue all the way through high school to raise a security-savvy generation. In the 2015-2016 global survey of IT professionals by Enterprise Strategy Group, 42% of organizations reported a problematic shortage of cybersecurity skills. Concern over finding skilled cybersecurity talent has grown every year since then. By 2019, the number had grown to 53%.

Data suggests that, by 2021, there will be a deficit of 3.5 million cybersecurity professionals globally and 300,000 in the U.S. alone. Without the cybersecurity education, cyberattacks will only continue to increase in frequency and severity. As the talent shortage in cybersecurity continues, it will only become harder for companies to protect digital assets like sensitive data, critical applications, and online experiences. In response, we must look beyond the existing workforce to help today’s students become tomorrow’s cybersecurity specialists.

Cybersecurity training needs to become part of our education system soon. The 4 ways to do so are:

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Adjust graduation requirements

Many students graduate from high school without being required to take any classes in technology. Formal tech training, particularly around cybersecurity, should be just as important as reading or math. Colorado, for example, is ahead of the pack on this front; it has developed comprehensive STEM guidance that other states and schools might choose to emulate.

Join an educational organization

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Educational organizations connect schools with government and private sector resources like courses, certifications, cyber competitions, internships, and coding summer camps. For schools that lack the necessary resources to teach cybersecurity, these organizations are an unparalleled resource.

Build a virtual foundation

In one form or another, online learning is here to stay. Teachers may need additional training on how to teach online effectively, including how to address the inherent cyber risks of doing so. Teachers become better at teaching cybersecurity when they understand the intricacies and importance of this issue on a personal level.

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Think universally

Cybersecurity education shouldn’t be for some students; it should be universally mandatory. Further, it should involve in-depth education rather than a shallow introduction. Instead of just showing students how to stay safe online, teach them how to leverage information technology competently, efficiently, and safely.

Education today must reflect the fact that we live in a digital world and interact with each other through technology. Cybersecurity education and training should be commonplace in schools.

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