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'Shamed' EduSolution gets e-learning deal

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 28 Jul 2015
EduSolution has been awarded a contract to deliver e-learning devices to 375 schools in Gauteng.
EduSolution has been awarded a contract to deliver e-learning devices to 375 schools in Gauteng.

Contractual obligations forced the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to award EduSolution the contract to deliver smart devices for its "paperless classroom" project.

The Department of Basic Education originally selected EduSolution to supply thousands of textbooks to Limpopo schools in 2012, but the service provider failed to deliver as required.

The GDE has since awarded EduSolution a contract, valued at R200 million, to deliver tablets and e-learning materials to schools in Gauteng.

As part of the GDE's second phase of the "paperless classroom" project, Grade 12 learners in 375 Gauteng schools will be equipped with smart devices. The department has purchased 17 000 tablets and 1 800 3D LED interactive smartboards, which will be delivered by EduSolution.

Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow deputy minister of basic education, Desiree van der Walt, says in a statement that, given EduSolution's questionable history, awarding the contract to the service provider should raise loud alarm bells.

According to Van der Walt, the "paperless classroom" project runs the risk of being another Limpopo textbook disaster.

"The DA will submit parliamentary questions to ask what penalties are in place to ensure EduSolution will deliver on time, as per the contract, this time round; that the record of decision in the granting of the contract to EduSolution be made public," says the statement.

However, the department says its decision to appoint EduSolution is the result of contractual obligations.

"The reality is that the department appointed EduSolution in 2012 on contract number GT/GDE/056/2012 until March 2016 to provide services relating to the procurement and delivery of learner support material to schools in the province," it says.

The department also notes it sought legal advice to determine if it should cancel the contract with EduSolution and find a new service provider.

"The advice was that it would not be in the best interest of the department to cancel the existing contract with EduSolution. This was going to be costly for the department and also cause delays in the implementation of the project. On these bases, a decision was taken to continue with the current contract.

"Strict mechanisms have been put in place to ensure contractual obligations are adhered to by EduSolution; eg, penalties where there is non-delivery," says the department.

Graeme Bloch, education analyst at Wits University's Public and Development Management School, notes the paperless classrooms project is a good idea fraught with problems.

"It has many flaws, including EduSolution, training of teachers, theft of tablets...

"I think contractual obligations are an excuse. I hope EduSolution has improved since 2012, but only [Gauteng's MEC for education] Panyaza Lesufi knows," he adds.

Other troubles

The GDE's "paperless classrooms" project has had its share of troubles since the launch earlier this year. The seven schools initially equipped with smartboards and tablets were targeted by criminals, which resulted in theft of the devices.

In total, since the launch of the paperless project, out of 88 000 tablets handed over to learners, more than 3 000 had been stolen, according to the department.

Following last week's launch of phase two, GDE spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said the department was prepared this time around.

"We have beefed up security at schools, but also mobilised community structures to defend this investment. We have also activated the security cluster to be part of this process," said Sekhonyane.

She also noted the devices they withdrew from the schools had since been installed with tracking devices.

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