Bytes People Solutions, a division of Bytes Technology Group SA (Pty) Ltd (BTG SA), has successfully piloted a learnership model for educators in schools. The model is now to be rolled out by the Khanya project, a Western Cape Department of Education programme, to more schools in the Western Cape.
Khanya aims to create technology centres to ensure that educators in Western Cape schools are empowered to use technology for the delivery of curriculum to learners. BTG is supporting Khanya in its mission and vision to deploy technology support staff into schools and Khanya is seeking corporate sponsors to extend the learnership model to more schools in the Western Cape.
"The challenge is to support the technical infrastructure in schools and to ensure basic IT knowledge transfer to educators. Many schools that receive sponsored IT infrastructure are not able to fully realise the potential of this technology due to a lack of effective training for educators," says Freddie Kleynhans, branch manager for Bytes People Solutions in Cape Town.
Candidates for the one-year learnership programme are historically disadvantaged individuals with some university or technikon technical training. The learnership is an ISETT-Seta registered NQF level 5 system support programme offered by Bytes People Solutions on a national basis.
"Under BTG`s guidance, the current learner provides assistance in maintaining the technical infrastructure of Langa High School`s Multi-Media Centre as well as the coaching of educators" said Kleynhans. "The learner seeks ways of integrating the day-to-day operations and delivery of the education curriculum of the school into technology-aided solutions. Key focus areas are the growth of IT skills and the automation of the schools paper-based administration processes."
The learnership programme is geared at turning career development into entrepreneurship by encouraging qualified technicians to seek employment after the programme in schools or the education department.
An event on 8 September 2006 is to be held at the Langa Multi-Media Centre, Langa High School, to celebrate the success of BTG`s initiative. Douglas Ramaphosa, Corporate Affairs Director of Altron, will be present to review its progress in promoting technology transfer within the school and employment equity in the ICT industry.
"We hope that the event will raise awareness of the learnerhip programme and encourage additional corporate partners to support our digital divide initiative," said Kleynhans.
The learnership at Langa High School is part of a broader BTG sponsored digital divide project supporting ICT development within schools in disadvantaged areas. BTG has invested nearly R1 million in the school and aims to make a difference in bridging the digital divide by providing previously disadvantaged communities with the technical skills and expertise needed to prosper in the 21st century.
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Bytes Technology Group (BTG), a JSE-listed company, provides a broad range of products, technical skills and specialised services to support enterprise-wide IT infrastructure and telecommunications across Africa and in the United Kingdom.
Bytes People Solutions
Bytes People Solutions, as a division of BTG SA (Pty) Ltd, is an internationally accredited education, training and people consultancy business. Through strategic alliances with leading technology vendors, Bytes People Solutions provides services and solutions in consulting, business process and ERP, supply chain and logistics, IT learning solutions, skills development, leadership and soft skills, and online learning solutions.
Khanya Programme
The Khanya Project is an initiative of the Westen Cape Education Department to increase teacher capacity and to improve learner outcomes in public schools through the use of appropriate technology.
This is an up-to-date reflection of the achievements of Khanya:
* 567 schools have been helped to use technology effectively.
* Another 278 schools are in various stages of preparation for the next wave of implementation.
* A total of 22 209 computers are used in Khanya schools (of these 12 480 have been funded by Khanya or its donor partners, and the balance of 9 729 have been procured by the schools themselves).
* 14 765 educators are being empowered to use technology optimally for curriculum delivery.
* 488 356 learners are already reaping the benefits of the project.
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