There cannot be any prosperous future for our country without well-educated or well-trained people.
This was according to Guy Kilfoil, GM: group communications and public affairs for BMW SA, at an official unveiling of the Computer Applications Technology (CAT) schools programme at Soshanguve High School, in Pretoria North.
CAT is 'the study of integrated components of a computer system (hardware and software) and the practical techniques for their efficient use and application to solve everyday problems'. Learners rely heavily on ICT to solve problems, and access and communicate information.
The programme aims at assisting Grades 10 to 12 learners in acquiring advanced computer applications skills that will prepare and encourage them to enrol in ICT-related courses at tertiary level.
A four-way partnership between BMW, HP, Datacentrix and the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) saw eight no-fee-paying disadvantaged schools in Soshanguve and Ga-Rankuwa receive fully equipped computer labs, funded by BMW to the tune of R3.5 million.
“BMW is committed to contributing to the long-term sustainable development of southern Africa as a whole. By giving communities the tools required to promote long-term development, we are ensuring that this investment is felt for decades to come,” said Kilfoil.
The eight schools that are beneficiaries of this programme are Soshanguve High School, LG Holele High School, Makhosini High School, Wallmansthal High School, Kgadime Matsepe High School, Central Secondary High School, Lethabong Secondary School, and Malatse Motsepe High School.
These schools are feeders to TUT, as the university's campuses are situated around the areas in which they are located. Most of these schools lacked the advanced technology equipment and applications before the CAT programme launch.
TUT places much emphasis on cutting-edge technologies, and students who enrol at the university must come from a technological background to be able to excel in the university's academic programmes designed with modern technologies, said TUT's vice-chancellor and principal, professor Nthabiseng Ogude.
According to one of the learners, before the launch of the new lab, CAT was a difficult subject because of the outdated equipment they had to work with. However, the learners now say they are enjoying the speed and comfort the new computers bring without having to endure hardware crashes or the slow distribution of data and files on the network.
The new computer system also allows CAT subject teachers to monitor each learner's work from the main computer with ease. The server also allows teachers to have control over the entire system and they are able to pause and resume lessons during in-class activities.
HP provided the schools with cutting-edge system technology, while Datacentrix installed all the equipment and renovated the labs. Technical support will also ensure the equipment does not become obsolete, as modern technology advances fast.
Ogude mentioned it is not only government's responsibility to create a learning environment that is conducive, but everyone's. She said TUT's faculties of Humanities and Information and Communication Technology will play an active role in ensuring daily technical support for equipment is available and that proper training for CAT teachers is prioritised at all the participant schools.
The university will also conduct research on the schools, which will evaluate the impact and value added by this programme. The research will assess the overall pass rate of learners and evaluate whether there is an increase in awareness or interest by learners in pursuing ICT-related fields at tertiary level. The research will also determine the sustainability of the programme, said Ogude.
Enver Surty, deputy minister of Basic Education, stated that, ideally, going forward, the department wants all schools to be connected by 2014, both administratively and academically, which will make it easier for the department to communicate with principals through ICT-related tools. Surty said that updated administrative data would also help them make informed decisions that are current.
Academically, learners would have exposure to ICT and be able to integrate it into the curriculum itself by accessing more information and communicating it among themselves. However, Surty said there is a disparity of ICT resources in the provinces, with Gauteng and the Western Cape being at the forefront because of the nature of development itself, while less-developed provinces like Limpopo and Eastern Cape face serious ICT challenges.
He concluded that the solution lies in government utilising its own resources and tapping into such partnerships to bridge the gap. He said ICT training centres for teachers have been established countrywide to ensure teachers are also enlightened and become proficient in ICT usage.
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