Tougher standards for Gauteng Online

Johannesburg, 09 Sept 2009

Despite a long history of poor performance by contractors and managers, the Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC) has only recently introduced tougher performance measures for the Gauteng Online schools project.

Following statements made by Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane earlier this year, regarding the poor performance of the GSSC, the centre has introduced stricter control measures for the initiative.

“The GSSC has placed the contractor, SMMT Online, on terms on the basis of non-compliance with the conditions of the contract,” finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe said in a statement.

Gauteng Online is a provincial initiative to build a province-wide school computer network. The project aims to create 25-seat computer labs with Internet and e-mail capabilities at all public schools in the province, to be used for curriculum delivery.

Nkomfe says the challenges faced by schools are not “insurmountable” and the provincial government's approach to the project needs to change. Since its implementation, the project has been plagued by high levels of theft, limited Internet connectivity and poor teacher training.

The GSSC's tougher measures also come after years of wasteful expenditure, which has seen the province pump millions of rands into the project.

Announced in 2001, the project was initially allocated R500 million over the course of three years to build the computer network. In 2005, an additional R100 million was allocated to fast-track the project and the deadline for its completion was first extended to 2006, then to 2007. In 2008, a R2 billion tender was controversially awarded to an SMMT Online-led consortium.

Claims of progress

Nkomfe adds that a revised and comprehensive governance framework and structure, including roles, responsibilities, rights and obligations of each party in the project, has been implemented. This would help to hold all parties involved in the project accountable. He notes a detailed report on the project's progress would be released in November.

In the GSSC budget vote, the department reported that 980 labs had been delivered and 600 were connected. Nkomfe says that, in the first 100 days of office since the new term, this number has improved.

“We are pleased to report that, during this 100 days of government, we have delivered an additional 37 schools, bringing the total number of labs to 1 017 and, of this total, 989 have been quality assured to be in good working order.”

Nkomfe says an “interventionist and activist approach” to the project is necessary and senior managers have been deployed to schools around the province.