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Govt commits to ICT access in schools

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 23 May 2016
Telecoms minister Siyabonga Cwele handed over an ICT lab to the Dennis A Mokoma Secondary School in Tshwane.
Telecoms minister Siyabonga Cwele handed over an ICT lab to the Dennis A Mokoma Secondary School in Tshwane.

Government is determined to ensure the country's schools have access to smart technologies to facilitate training for learners and teachers in critical ICT skills.

This is the word from telecoms minister Siyabonga Cwele, who noted South Africans need to understand ICT has become an enabler of economic development and social inclusion.

Cwele's comments follow the handing over of a connected mobile ICT lab to the Dennis A Mokoma Secondary School in Mabopane, Tshwane.

"This modern mobile ICT lab will enable our learners to access educational content, provide them with connectivity to the Internet and assist with facilitating training and learning," according to Cwele.

"Our former president Nelson Mandela understood we need to ensure all our people have access to an Internet connection, particularly those who come from the townships and rural areas.

"The mobile ICT lab...contributes directly to our vision of a connected SA, where all citizens participate in the vibrant knowledge economy and an inclusive information society."

Govt engagement

The Dennis A Mokoma Secondary School is the latest school to receive ICT facilities in recent months. Various government departments as well as private sector players have been involved in providing connectivity and rolling out smart devices in many of the country's rural schools.

Dennis A Mokoma's ICT lab is equipped with 21 laptops, an interactive white board, projector, printer, speakers and four desktop workstations for educators, according to Cwele.

As part of its "Connected Schools" programme, Telkom will provide the ICT lab with 50GB of data for the next two years to connect the laptops and enable WiFi use by learners and educators on the school premises.

"All our schools must be connected to fast, reliable and affordable Internet.

"Access to the Internet, which is one of the greatest equalisers of our time, will ensure a child in Mabopane has access to the same educational content as a child in the wealthier suburbs of Pretoria East," Cwele stated.

Telkom will also provide training for the educators and learners on how modern tools and connectivity can be incorporated into classroom teaching and learning.

The key challenges we face in Africa are poor connectivity and resistance to adoption of ICT due to a lack of providing training to those who must use the technology, Cwele noted.

Connectivity for all

Government is working hard to connect all South Africans to fast, reliable and affordable broadband by the year 2030 through the SA Connect national broadband strategy and plan, he said.

The country's government adopted the SA Connect policy in 2013.

SA Connect aims to deliver 100% broadband connectivity to all schools, health and government facilities by 2020. The objective is to also deliver widespread broadband access to 90% of the country's population by 2020, and 100% by 2030.

The project has been divided into two phases, with the first phase starting in the remotest districts of our country.

Phase one aims to connect all schools, health facilities, government offices, Thusong Centres and post offices to fast, secure and always-available broadband services. Meanwhile, phase two will connect all the remaining districts, including the metros.

Despite the year-long delay to implement phase one of SA Connect, Cwele noted progress is being made to connect all South African citizens.

"We want our learners to study and become systems developers, engineers to design and manufacture affordable ICT hardware such as tablets, and even IT specialists."

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