Pretoria school gets US multimedia centre

The US Embassy in Pretoria has opened a >resource centre at a local high school, to serve as a hub for learners to access information about American society.

The Ralph Bunche Leadership Resource Centre, also named the “American Corner”, is SA's first dedicated information portal to help interested learners access information about America's culture, values and education systems.

The resource centre addresses health issues, particularly HIV/AIDS, small business development, and promotes and supports English language teaching. It will also assist Pretoria learners with higher education opportunities in the US.

The multimedia information outpost was initiated as part of a partnership between the US Embassy and SA. It is named after American diplomat and civil rights activist Ralph Bunche, who was the first American to officially hold an under secretary-general position at the United Nations.

Officially opened at Hoerskool HF Verwoerd by US Ambassador Jendayi Frazer, the centre will link South African learners with their counterparts from Charlotte-Meckelenburg School in North Carolina.

“While the centre will allow students and the faculty to access information about each other's countries, a fair amount of resources provided are centred on entrepreneurship, HIV and AIDS prevention and English teaching,” says Frazer.

The US Embassy has donated five computers with Internet connection and a collection of books, encyclopaedias, video material and CD-ROMs valued at R110 000 to the centre.

“We believe in creating hope and vision. This project forms an integral part of creating a vision of a bigger world where we can make a difference,” says Hennie du Toit, principal of HF Verwoerd.

There are 175 “American Corners” worldwide, including 26 in Africa and 125 more in the planning stages.

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