At the Sizanani-Thusanang Combined School in Sebokeng today (25th April 2002), IBM South Africa demonstrated its mobile technology contribution to the R500-million GautengOnline provincial education initiative personally driven by Gauteng Premier, Mbhazima Shilowa.
IBM SA and a selection of its business partners is one of the eight consortia working with GautengOnline on a pilot project examining the principles and logistics of supplying each of Gauteng`s 2 450 public schools with networked computers and access to the Internet by 2006.
A Gauteng Department of Education programme, GautengOnline is aiming for a province-wide schools computer network that will improve administration of education as well as give educators and learners the means to bridge the digital divide.
IBM is installing at each of its five allocated schools notebook computers with wireless links to a centrally situated server, which, in turn, is linked to the larger, external pilot network.
Says IBM SA executive, Excel Shikwane: "We designed our solution around the particular needs of South African schools - specifically the shortage of classrooms.
"Turning a desperately needed classroom into a computer laboratory is unnecessary when today`s technology allows computers to go anywhere.
"Also, a mobile solution saves a school the R150 000 needed to build a separate computer laboratory. Our solution needs only a two-by-three metre secure space in which to lock up the server and the notebooks, and most schools can accommodate that.
"And, because, notebooks are far easier to lock away than desktop computers, a mobile solution also removes most security headaches.
"In terms of the teaching process, wireless, mobile technology means that learners and educators can integrate computers into all education activities - on the sports field, in drama productions, in the science lab - rather than treating computing as something that happens in a fixed place at fixed times."
The IBM SA GautengOnline solution is one of thousands provided by IBM worldwide as part of its e-Learning division. The division spends millions of dollars annually on researching the impact of technology on education processes as well as implementing projects for customers and communities.
"Our experience shows that introducing technology to education processes alters them over time - especially in the Internet-enabled areas of sharing teaching best practice, consolidating administrative activities and learner collaboration on research and projects," says Shikwane.
"Which is why, for us, the GautengOnline initiative is not just about providing hardware, software and infrastructure.
"It`s about assisting - through technology - with the transformation of education processes, to ensure that they deliver what the educators are trying to achieve."
Tando Mbikwana, GautengOnline project manager, says that, apart from the educational goals of the initiative, GautengOnline has proved that competitive information technology (IT) companies can co-operate positively on community projects.
"That`s important for future private/public partnerships in all government sectors.
"But a spirit of collaboration has been vital to us at GautengOnline particularly, because this project has no precedent and has therefore tested us all to the limit.
"The programme impacts on educational policies, amongst others, and its success so far has been a result of the very clear political support we`ve had combined with the commitment and enthusiasm of the consortia companies - who walked every step of the way with us.
"Along the way, we`ve all learned many lessons - proving that education doesn`t stop when you leave school!"
The other schools that will use IBM SA`s mobile solution are the Aha Thuto Secondary School in Orange Farm, Manzini Primary in Vosloorus, Dawn Park Primary in Dawn Park and Skeen Primary in Alexandra.
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