Johannesburg, 13 Oct 2011
The further education and training (FET) colleges of Port Elizabeth and Buffalo City, in the Eastern Cape, will implement the ITS Integrator system for improved management and overall institutional efficiency.
“The ITS Integrator system combines all spheres of FET, including business, financial reporting, human resources, student administration and the smooth running of the institutions as a whole,” says project co-ordinator Elmarie Bremner.
The implementation process started with the business process mapping, which involved a consultant visiting the colleges to map out what processes had already been put in place by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in August this year.
The next phase involves ITS setting up the client system and implementing it. After implementation, the system will be tested using different test cases. Transactional processing training then takes place, during which users are trained on-site, at the colleges. The systems are due to go live in June 2012, following which, a post implementation support period will make sure the institutions use the system as prescribed.
“The main benefit of the ITS Integrator is that it provides an integrated system that combines all business units into one comprehensive system,” says Bremner.
“The FET colleges in PE and Buffalo City will be able to accurately report to the DHET and the city council on their financials, HR and student administration,” says Bremner.
The two colleges were previously using the DB2000 management systems, but when the Eastern Cape Department of Education made funding available, they decided to put it towards upgrading their management systems. The two FET colleges will be implementing core systems in student management, student financial management, financial management and HR management, which include personnel management and payroll.
“We have had generous support from the Eastern Cape Education Department and went with their recommendation of ITS as a preferred supplier in the education field,” says PE FET college's Natasha Daysel. “We are well into the planning phase, and look forward to the full implementation,” she says.
At Buffalo City FET, Fanie Van Rensburg is enthusiastically looking forward to the new and timely challenge. “We have been looking at ITS for a number of years and, with the Education Department's support, realised it is time to move on with a new database. I am very positive about this development,” he says.
“There are numerous other projects in the pipeline for other upgrades and advances for FET institutions, and as funds become available, these projects will come to fruition,” concludes Bremner.
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