Vital decisions on school computing imminent

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer

Johannesburg, 02 Jul 2008

Two key committees within the educational establishment will this month and next decide how to computerise SA`s 28 000 schools by 2013 - and at what cost.

Mallele Petje, head of the Gauteng education department, says a feasibility report on the subject has been produced and was adopted by the Heads of Education Departments Committee (Hedcom) as well as the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), chaired by education minister Naledi Pandor in May.

Petje chairs Hedcom`s ICT subcommittee, which "is currently engaged in the process of analysing the options available for the roll-out. These focus mainly on procurement and financing."

He says the current intent is that the options available will be presented for discussion to Hedcom later this month and to the CEM in August.

"Should these be approved, it is expected that the director-general [Duncan Hindle] and the minister will embark on a process of consultation that will begin with the relevant stakeholders including but not limited to Parliament."

Laptops vs desktops

Petje says it is likely that the country`s about 340 000 teachers are to be offered laptops while schools will be provided with desktops for use by learners.

"The minister of education has already pronounced on the teacher laptop matter," he says. "Obviously, teaching and learning in the schools will use the two forms of technologies complemented by other learning and teaching aids such as projectors and interactive boards."

Meanwhile, each provincial education department will continue its own deployments. Petje says "the state of ICT in schools is gradually improving" although the Western Cape - with the Khanya Project - and Gauteng (with GautengOnline) are the most advanced.

The Gauteng education chief says the provinces are also continuing with various partnerships with industry in support of their efforts. "Intel has to date donated 5 000 Classmate laptops. Microsoft has extended its software donation agreement with all provincial departments of education and the [national] DOE."

A number of Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges also continue to receive donations, notably, the Johannesburg Central FET College.

"ICT training also continues to take place for teachers and other beneficiaries such as the youth. In Gauteng, for instance, training occurs with the Ithutele Tiro project, funded by the National Skills Fund, as well as the GDE [Gauteng Department of Education] using the e-Skills Academy, SITA and FETCs," he says.