President Jacob Zuma has unveiled the education leg of the Operation Phakisa Presidential Programme, which aims to provide connectivity and smart devices to SA's schools.
Operation Phakisa, which means to hurry up, is government's results-driven approach to improve performance and fast-track implementation of solutions in various sectors. The education leg of the programme aims to transform teaching and learning through the appropriate use of ICT, says the president.
Zuma notes the purpose of Operation Phakisa in education is to assist learners so they can take advantage of ICT.
Operation Phakisa ICT in education sees experts and officials from the national and provincial departments of basic education, labour, academia, and the private sector engage in problem-solving solutions to develop the national rollout of ICT in the basic education sector.
"For learners, they will be able to access educational resources to successfully meet the requirements of the curriculum.
"For teachers, they will be able to access the resources necessary to create effective learning opportunities for all learners," he said.
Zuma admitted government's pace of providing technology and connectivity, and integrating these into teaching and learning, has been slow and inadequate.
"Government has not taken full advantage and exploited the potential that ICTs can bring in assisting us to attain educational outcomes in this country.
"The process has been characterised by unsustainable and fragmented ICT initiatives, which lacked centralised coordination, focus and measured impact. This is reflected in the varying levels of ICT implementation among provinces."
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