The embattled Universal Service and Access Agency of SA (USAASA) has set itself the "unbelievable" target of connecting 24 000 schools within the next five years - three times as many as have come online over the past five years.
This ambitious target is contained in the agency's strategic plan, which was recently presented to a joint Parliamentary portfolio committee. However, its ability to fulfil its aims is under question, especially as the agency is the subject of a Special Investigating Unit probe to investigate whether serious maladministration, unlawful conduct and unlawful expenditure have taken place at the embattled agency.
Marian Shinn, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of telecommunications and postal services, says USAASA has produced all sorts of "amazing" targets, but simply does not have the resources to deliver on its aims, and has previously evidenced a dubious ability to deliver.
Plans in place
This was conceded by CEO Zami Nkosi, who told the committee the agency, which reports to the new Department of Communications, has a history of non-delivery, unscrupulous financial practices, lack of innovation, insufficient research, a lack of stakeholder buy in, self-limitation of scope of work, and no longer-term national plans.
However, Nkosi is confident the agency can deliver, through partnerships, because there have been several interventions to address deficiencies. The agency's plan also notes it is, for the first time, developing a fund manual that will deal with shelling out large sums to licensed operators to close gaps.
USAASA selects under-resourced areas based on the prevalence of 2G and 3G networks, enabling it to identify gaps and stimulate the private sector to step in, explained Makhotso Moiloa, head of corporate affairs.
Questions raised
In the financial year that has just drawn to a close, USAASA connected 41 schools, a gain on its target of 30, says Nkosi. Shinn notes it aims to connect a total of 24 136 schools up to 2019, with a budget of R290 million. "They don't have the money to do this."
Nkosi noted USAASA would develop a turnaround strategy, which would be shared with principals and stakeholders, and that this needed to be done to close the access gap. He noted the agency had the capacity to implement projects and could outsource the work to third parties.
Shinn adds the agency also does not have the resources to connect this number of schools, and questions whether it will be able to properly manage the rollout to make sure it is not fragmented, teachers are trained, and the equipment is used for the purpose for which it was intended.
Several private institutions have also been moving ahead with connecting schools, such as Microsoft's TV white spaces project in Limpopo, and a Google-sponsored trial in Cape Town. Gauteng also has plans to spend R2 billion turning schools in the province paperless.
ICT veteran Adrian Schofield notes USAASA has set laudable goals, but says it is a question of capacity as to whether it will be able to cement implementation between now and its target dates. He questions how the project will be managed, and asks whether there will be any sanctions if its goals are not met.
Shinn is not convinced USAASA will "get it right", noting that until education is right in SA, the country will not go anywhere.
USASSA was not available to comment this morning.
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