Digital skills for a digital world: the importance of digital skills to the next generation

Big corporates have come together to pool their resources together to provide online education that will benefit both educators and students. As part of its greater corporate initiative, IFS has donated a computer lab to Diepsloot Primary School, furnished with desktop computers set up with Microsoft Windows 10 for Education and Vodacom data bundles to keep the school connected.

“The technology lab will serve as a place where our educators can upskill themselves and in turn upskill our learners with computer skills,” says Joe Makhafola, school Principal of Diepsloot Primary School.

“Access to online learning facilities will put the children from this school firmly on a path of equal access to skills and knowledge. We are honoured to be able to play a role in making this possible for them,” says Emma Murray, Managing Director of IFS Africa.

Technology plays an ever-increasing part of the world we live in. In the digital age, technology has become the main point of connection and communication for personal and business use. 

STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) are critical skills for the connected world and, as the youth of today grow up, technology such as artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics will be mainstream and deeply embedded into everyday life.

It is vital that children have access to facilities where they can practise the necessary skills, learning how to research information and to use technology in their daily work.

According to Murray: “As a technology company, we see the need to help close the expanding divide between those who have access to technology on a daily basis, and those who do not. By working with Diepsloot Primary, we are able to play a role in helping to close this gap for the children of Diepsloot.”