ICT operator T-Systems in SA launched the Hazyview digital learning centre (HDLC) in partnership with the Good Work Foundation (GWF) and Hosanna Community Projects.
The company says the centre is aimed at bridging the skills gap in SA with critical training.
The educational facility will provide dire skills like IT, tourism and English to communities from Hazyview and surrounding areas in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.
Maximum technology
T-Systems donated R3.7 million towards the start-up of the centre, construction costs, the provision of HR and resources as well as curriculum alignment.
The centres will focus on individuals that left the school system early, or mature students who have not been able to further their education due to economic and other constraints.
“The HDLC epitomises not only T-Systems' but the country's emphasis on uplifting those in need with education which forms the cornerstone of any society. The National Development Plan and 2030 Vision outlines the need for quality education and training, particularly in those areas where there is a lack of educational facilities, and it is our hope that the HDLC will be a significant contributor in this area,” says T-Systems SA MD Gert Schoonbee.
The company adds that the education programmes will run parallel to schooling systems, and provide access to education for rural learners.
“In addition, learners will obtain practical skills preparing them for the world of work, allowing them to compete in a global environment. The HDLC is managed by the GWF, an organisation committed to bringing positive educational interventions to rural South African communities.”
Chairman of the non-profit GWF, Dave Varty, says the centre has enabled the GWF to invent a new way of learning for Africa, making maximum use of modern technology.
ICT academy
The centre employs, among others, retired educators. Teaching has already started with 60 students attending an afternoon programme that incorporates English, computer and life skills.
“The first adult ICDL computer training started in July with, a class of 30 learners receiving training on fully equipped IT facilities which mirror the T-Systems-sponsored CIDA ICT Academy in Johannesburg. Over the course of the next couple of months, learner numbers are expected to grow to approximately 300.”
The CIDA City Campus is a non-profit, non-government funded entity which provides higher education to disadvantaged students. Its aim is to create a pool of graduates with relevant ICT skills and competencies to enable the youth to participate in a sustainable and competitive local economy.
An ICT academy's full curriculum will commence in early 2013 at the new centre.
The HDLC features a server room and two traditional computer rooms with 21 and 30 computers respectively. These have been networked and are connected to the Internet.
“The centre also incorporates a central area, with wireless connectivity...Students can connect wirelessly with mobile devices such as tablets. Additionally, the centre includes smart screens that are mobile for improved information distribution.”
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