Learners at Tlamatlama and Tshepisa Primary Schools in Gauteng's Tembisa township will now enjoy the perks of using smart devices to enhance their learning experience, as the provincial education department has unveiled e-learning-ready classrooms at the schools.
This is part of the Gauteng Department of Education's (GDE's) initiative to deliver modern facilities aimed at encouraging ICT adoption, skills development and improving the quality of education in townships.
Driving the smart schools initiative is MEC Panyaza Lesufi, who has reiterated his commitment to prioritise township education, which he says is aimed at improving the quality of education.
According to Lesufi, the GDE is determined to ensure learners are not only exposed to technology or experience utilisation of tablets and computers for the first time at university.
The tech-savvy classrooms at the two primary schools are equipped with smart boards, work spaces for teachers and connectivity. The department has also set up a modern library, nutrition centre and guard house at each of the schools.
Commenting on the future of education in the province, Lesufi says the vision for Gauteng schools is to provide one tablet for one learner, one laptop for one teacher and one smart board for one classroom.
We want our learners to be part of the fourth industrial economy, he states. "When that driverless car is introduced in SA, we want our learners to be those that can say I can fix that car rather than be those that will wash that car."
Despite efforts to improve learning at township schools, the GDE can't shake off issues such as theft of these modern devices and untrained teachers who can't utilise the ICT resources.
According to a The Star newspaper, the smart classrooms at some Gauteng schools have no smart boards as they have been stolen.
Lesufi previously admitted to issues of theft of smart devices and that a syndicate has been set up by some criminals in the communities to steal smart boards. At the time, the GDE said it increased security infrastructure at the schools.
There has been no further correspondence from the department in regard to safety measures that have been put in place to secure the schools with smart classrooms.
The GDE had not responded to ITWeb's questions by the time of publication.
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