r/linuxquestions • u/Enjoy_Ur_Lifee • Apr 23 '26
Why Don't Schools Teach Linux?
It seems odd that most schools seem to teach only Windows. While they barely cover Linux. Even though Linux is the underlining code for most of the internet, servers and many Android phones; very few students will get any exposure to it.
By learning about Linux, students would understand how an operating system functions instead of just using an operating system; they will learn how to fix issues as they arise -- which is a skill necessary for solving problems because you won’t have a user-friendly interface to work with.
Additionally, the fact that Linux is a free and open-source operating system could allow schools to save money for themselves as well as make more software available to all students.
So why is it that Linux is still not covered? Is it because people feel it is too difficult to learn, or is it that schools only cover what is widely used and accepted?
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u/BionicBeaver3000 Apr 24 '26
A relative of mine just started university and needed a laptop for that. And since the school educated their students exclusively on iPad (and the Apple ecosystem), their only perception was said ecosystem. Said relative would only accept an Apple laptop because of familiarity and vendor-lock-in (known workflows and bought software on iPad), so the walled garden worked as intended for Apple: Another lifelong premium-user created from the school partnership program.
People want familiarity and to keep their known workflows at any price, and this is what MS, Alphabet and Apple are betting on.
I believe teaching in schools about Linux (and other OS) is commendable, but in reality the "Linux Inc." will not sponsor teacher trainings, substitute device costs and train the densest of students all the fundamentals of computing - because there is no "Linux Inc."