GSSC defends Gauteng Online

Johannesburg, 23 Feb 2009

The Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC) has come out firing against reports that its Gauteng Online project is problematic.

Head of communications for the GSSC Khusela Sangoni said in a statement that the centre “will deliver on the project”.

Gauteng Online is a provincial initiative to build a province-wide school computer network. The project aims to create 25-seat computer labs with Internet and e-mail capabilities at all public schools in the province, to be used for curriculum delivery.

Announced in 2001, the project was initially allocated R500 million over the course of three years to build the computer network.

Following the recent meeting of the Gauteng Online Steering Committee, the GSSC and service provider SMMT have reported that only 80% of schools will be online by April, but gave no details on when the remaining 20% of schools would go online.

We are determined to ensure this project succeeds.
Khusela Sangoni, head of communications, GSSC

Sangoni states that reports on the online school project are attempts to “distort and question the efficacy of the Gauteng online school project”.

She further claims progress has been made, saying: “We have satisfied ourselves that, acting in partnership with the various service providers, we have made good progress on the project. We are confident that, based on the roll out plan, we will be able to deliver in accordance with the set time frames. We are fully confident of the ability of these partners to help us carry out this mandate.

“We are determined to ensure this project succeeds. We will spare no effort in ensuring that indeed the African child is equipped with the necessary skills to occupy her rightful place in the community of the knowledgeable,” concludes Sangoni.

Conflicting figures

The Gauteng Online project was supposed to have built and connected labs at 1 100 schools across the province between 2001 and 2004. In 2005, an additional R100 million was allocated to fast-track the project and the deadline for its completion was first extended to 2006, then to 2007.

In the process, the responsibility for the implementation of the project migrated from the Department of Education (DOE) to the GSSC.

When the GSSC adopted the project, the DOE reported that over a 1 000 Gauteng public schools had been equipped with computer laboratories, but not all were online. In March 2008, a R2 billion tender for the implementation of the project was controversially awarded to the consortium SMMT Online to offer a hybrid Internet solution to schools.

There have been contradicting reports on the progress of the project, with Sangoni quoted in February as stating 313 computers had been installed and connected to the network, 61 were installed, but unconnected, while 910 labs were being built.

Meanwhile, the project has been targeted by crime syndicates, taking advantage of poor security at schools. Earlier this month, the National Parents Association of School Governing Bodies, along with other governing bodies, called an education meeting to probe the project. This followed an increase in the number of computer thefts reported by schools involved in the project; numerous cases of labs, which remained offline; and the lack of computer training offered to teachers.

The GSSC has stated it is investigating thefts which have been reported by schools.