Technology is a key enabler to promote skills development in education; however, underprivileged schools lacking basic infrastructure must demand support from both government and private sector organisations.
This is the view of Mteto Nyati, country manager of Microsoft SA. “The world that we live in has become small and competitive. And, in order for businesses to compete and become sustainable for the future, they can no longer afford not to invest in human capital.”
Nyati spoke during the sixth annual Microsoft Worldwide Education Innovation Forum, which was this week held for the first time on African soil, at the Cape Town Convention Centre.
Over 500 educators from 60 countries gathered at the week-long conference. The event is part of the software giant's Partners in Learning initiative, which aims to improve skills development in teaching and learning experiences for students.
Message of hope
According to Nyati, $500 million has been invested in the Partners in Learning initiative, which has reached more than 196 million teachers and students in 114 countries since its inception seven years ago.
“Education levels the playing feels in terms of future employability and it carries a message of hope to a country's learners.”
Nyati explains that, despite SA receiving high-speed broadband fibre-optic cables from Seacom, Eassy and upcoming cables WACS and Main One, more still needs to be done to link these cables to schools situated in remote areas within the country.
Only then, he says, will disadvantaged schools be able to leverage the full potential of the Internet.
Basic infrastructure lacking
“While we would like to train as many teachers as possible in the country, we need to have access to government funding in order to provide the basic technology tools to drive learning transformation,” claims Nyati, who describes technology as an education enabler.
Another challenge, Nyati notes, is the lack of buy-in from some conventional educators who are reluctant to embrace 21st Century learning using technology. He says there needs to be a mindset change from traditional ways of teaching, which are no longer relevant for the new generations.
“SA is not an island separate from the rest of the world. There are a lot of great ways that local schools are using technology and they need to share this with other schools in the country and with the rest of the world.”
Taking the initiative
Earlier this year, the Teacher Laptop Initiative was rolled out by the Department of Basic Education, in partnership with Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe.
Over the next two years, qualifying public school teachers will receive a monthly taxable allowance of R130 to purchase a laptop. It's hoped the initiative will enhance teaching and improve learning outcomes.
According to the National Education Infrastructure Management System report, out of 24 000 public schools in SA, 75% do not have libraries, 68% have no computers, and 24% are overcrowded.
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