Government has admitted to challenges in driving digital transformation in schools, noting its financial limitations in providing access to ICT tools and connectivity.
As it stands, over 16 000 public schools remain offline.
This was revealed during yesterday’s joint meeting of the portfolio committees of basic education and communications and digital technologies. The delegation of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the Department of Basic Education (DBE), including basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube, attended the meeting.
The joint presentation was held to reflect on the progress of the school connectivity project, as well as to disclose continued challenges. This also detailed progress on the roll out of ICT resources, classroom technologies and the work that is under way to finalise the digital education strategy. This is envisaged to replace the 2004 White Paper on e-Education, which does not consider the rapid technological evolution.
During the presentation, the DBE’s Seliki Tlhabane, chief director for maths, science and technology and curriculum enhancement programmes, said the 16 033 schools are those that were not provided with connectivity in phase one of the obligations that were placed on the mobile network operators as part of SA Connect.
“After completing these schools, we believe that every school will have some kind of connectivity in the country,” he said.
“Learners are exposed to remote learning, and we know what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were force to shut down, so the department has put a plan in place to ensure we reach learners, if another pandemic hits.”
The plan, he added, includes interventions such as broadcasting lessons on TV and radio, zero-rating educational content, virtual classrooms, and online content and support resources.
The DBE is charged with the country’s basic education, overseeing more than 22 000 schools.
In her opening remarks, minister Gwarube stated the connectivity project is “not anywhere near” where they would like it to be, adding that some work still needs to be done.
Gwarube pointed out that digital transformation in education is a national priority. “Over the last three years, provinces have invested over R7 billion of their equitable share to provide ICT devices, connectivity and teacher-training.
“More than half-a-million learner devices and approximately 30 000 teacher devices have been provided, and over 10 000 classrooms have been equipped, yet the challenges remain − particularly in rural and special schools where there are massive infrastructure gaps, astronomical costs and sustainability issues.
“We’re not shying away from these challenges. I think through stronger partnerships with ICASA, the private sector, international initiatives such as UNICEF that we’re working with, we’re working to expand access and improve monitoring and ensure ICT investments translate into better teaching and learning outcomes.”
Long-lost promises
In a State of the Nation Address (SONA) early in his presidency, president Cyril Ramaphosa pronounced that the South African education system would undergo a revamp, whereby learners would be equipped with digital workbooks and textbooks on a tablet device over six years.
Tlhabane revealed to MPs that the estimated cost for the implementation of the president’s commitment stood at R30.6 billion − money which government did not have.
“PEDs [provincial education departments] are now using their equitable share to provide learners, educators and schools with ICT resources and connectivity. The allocated budgets are not adequate to provide all learners and teachers with ICT resources, thus widening the digital divide.
“As such, the rollout is not in tandem…but we are ensuring it aligns to the implementation plan. The aim is to reach every learner and every teacher with ICT resources in the country.”
He also indicated that a total of 545 938 learner ICT devices were procured for learning during the 2022 to 2024 financial years. “The textbooks and digital resources are loaded on ICT devices that are provided to teachers and learners.”
He added that a total of 30 818 teacher ICT devices were procured during the 2022 to 2024 financial years, adding that a total of 10 588 classrooms were equipped with ICT resources for teaching and learning.
“These are classrooms that have been converted into a 4IR [fourth industrial revolution] centre with high technology, smartboards, projectors and other emerging technologies within a school.”
The chief director indicated that a total of 152 titles (nearly 70%) of all state-owned textbooks for high enrolment subjects had been digitised into PDFs and made available on the DBE’s web site and to schools.
He pointed out that over 5 000 schools have broadband connectivity for teaching and learning. “A lot of work still needs to be done to ensure the 16 000 schools also have suitable connectivity for teaching and learning, and not only for administration.”
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