[PvsNP_ZA]

In South Africa, Pascal and Delphi are still taught in schools... In fact, the University of South Africa actually has about 2 Delphi semester modules also, along with C++.

Some schools have switched over to Java, and most other universities have jumped onto the Java/.NET bandwagon.

So in a nutshell, I think it's still pretty prevalent in 3rd world countries. It's not a bad starting language to introduce students to programming concepts, although I would prefer Python for a first language.

[lordfoom]

Point of fact: the RSA department of education removed Java as the language being taught, and replaced it with Delphi, despite objections (from some like myself). Here's an article: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/columns/89295-is-delphi-better...

[baq]

i'd say it's a good decision for everybody except perhaps hiring companies, and then i'm not sure about that either in the long run.

[nickpsecurity]

I agree. When learning to program, one should first learn the mental activity oc solving problems with code. Then maybe learn all the boilerplate and BS associated with a language like Java. Pascal is simple enough that students can learn fundamentals first. Same with industrial BASIC. Both are like pseudocode.

Many people are turned off to programming encountering Java, C++, etc because they think programming is inherently that difficult.

[pjmlp]

I remember there used to exist a South African magazine about game development in Turbo/Free Pascal and Delphi.

It is quite nice that those universities still teach it, as that way at least those students will learn that C and C++ aren't the only way of doing systems programming.