The Gauteng Department of Finance (GDF) this morning announced the bid winners for the revamped Gauteng Online project, now called the e-Learning Solution.
Moving away from the former desktop computers, the e-Learning Solution will supply tablets and connectivity to 2 200 public schools in the province.
Huawei Technologies was awarded a R289 million contract to provide 88 000 10-inch tablets, while Cloudseed, which is the current Gauteng Online service provider, was awarded a R107 million contract to provide WiFi and 3G connectivity for a period of two years.
Earlier this year, Gauteng finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe announced the redesign of the project, so that all learners would have their own devices, such as tablets, smartphones or netbooks. This would ensure pupils have all their e-books, as well as their curriculum content, readily available.
The end of the current service provider's contract, which was supposed to run out at the end of June, was to signal the inception of the e-Learning Solution. However, the department was unable to finalise the tender processes in procuring new suppliers for the e-Learning Solution by the proposed deadline, and was forced to extend Cloudseed's contract until the end of July.
Nkomfe this morning announced Cloudseed's contract has yet again been extended, this time till the end of November, to allow for the rebranded e-Learning Solution to be implemented.
"All 1 552 public schools that are currently connected to the Gauteng Online network will be terminated on 30 November 2013. Therefore, for the month of December and two weeks in January, there will be no connectivity, as learners will be writing their final examinations and shall then proceed to their December vacation," he says.
He says this approach will limit disruptions to the school calendar as all training, change management and reconstructions will occur during the school holidays. In this time, Cloudseed is mandated to maintain the network and ensure all 2 200 schools are connected when schools reopen in January 2014.
Meanwhile, Huawei will supply 40 tablets per school, resulting in a rollout of a total of 88 000 tablets.
Surprise move
Awarding the connectivity contract to Cloudseed can be seen as an unexpected move by GDF, taking into account the problems that occurred between the two entities during the Gauteng Online project.
The Gauteng Online project was initiated in 2002 through the provincial Department of Education and implemented by various service providers. In April 2007, the programme was transferred to the GDF, and the contract awarded to SMMT (now Cloudseed).
Since its inception, the project has regularly come under fire for allegedly being ineffective, with media reports claiming a number of schools are often offline. The GDF denied this was the case.
A lack of security at the schools were also a problem with equipment being stolen more than once, despite security firms having been contracted to guard the schools.
In May, Laphinda Cleaning and Security, Moshe Cleaning and Security, and Mabuza Security claimed they went under, after not being paid for security services rendered to Cloudseed. Cloudseed hit back, saying the companies lacked the necessary resources and skills to provide services at the required service levels, and instituted legal proceedings against them.
Meanwhile, during this time, a spokesperson for the GDF confirmed the department still owes Cloudseed R200 million, which he said is "due to outstanding arrears". It is unclear whether that account has since been settled.
On questions why the contract was again awarded to Cloudseed despite previous problems, the GDF assured measures have been put in place to ensure satisfactory service delivery.
"These contracts will be regulated through performance-based agreements," says Nkomfe. "All payments will only flow on receipt of satisfactory service delivery, which must comply with the service level standards."
He says a 95% network uptime standard is embedded in the service level agreement with Cloudseed, and non-compliance of this standard will be punishable in terms of the contract.
Nkomfe also notes that short-term insurance will be procured for the tablets to mitigate against "unforeseeable losses and damages".
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