Oracle establishes the Ponelopele Secondary School

Oracle South Africa in conjunction with the Gauteng Education Department announces the establishment of the Ponelopele Oracle Secondary School in Midrand. Equipped with the latest in e-schools technology and enjoying the active involvement of Oracle staff members in its running, the Ponelopele school is designed to uplift and provide a sustainable education institute to the local community.

The school displays how corporate South Africa can work together with government in addressing national issues and in the formulation of sustainable solutions that address these issues.

Oracle worked closely with the Gauteng Education Department in developing the Ponelopele school close to Oracle's head offices in Midrand, South Africa. Part of the reason for positioning the school close to Oracle's offices are so that Oracle staff members can be directly involved with the day to day running of the institution.

"This allows our staff to fill volunteer slots and assist the school wherever possible," says Nicky Sheridan, managing director of Oracle South Africa. "Oracle employees are highly educated, motivated, and passionate individuals. By investing in education, Oracle is ensuring that future generations of South Africans can have the same education, motivation, and passion."

The school has also created jobs in the area through its construction and provides services to the community. An example of this is the school hall, which is fenced off as a separate building with its own catering wing, stage and ablution facilities. This can be rented out for community events and generate income for the school.

"The school also showcases two dedicated computer rooms that run the NEPAD e-Schools solution, allowing students and teachers access to digital content and the Internet," explains Sheridan. "This was provided by Oracle's NEPAD consortium and provides an holistic IT environment for schools, with dedicated systems for administration too."

The computer labs at the Ponelopele school are also optimally placed, with one upstairs and another downstairs for easy access by physically disabled students.

"This is a fully-fledged Gauteng Education Department school and is staffed accordingly," says Sheridan. "We are about to complete the final stage of building and look forward to the opportunities this school will provide to the local community."