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EDUCATION-SOUTH AFRICA: Biggest IT Project to Provide Free Online Learning
By Sarah Duguid
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 27 (IPS) - South Africa's biggest internet projects, ever
undertaken on the African continent, aim to provide every student in Gauteng
province - where Johannesburg and Pretoria are situated - and eventually
the entire country, with free access to email, the internet and an online
learning curriculum.
The project, known as Gauteng Online, is part of a wider plan by Africa's
governments to use new technologies to accelerate social and economic
development across the continent. Africa's top telecommunications people met
in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 1995 and formed the African Information Society
Initiative (AISI). They urged governments to keep up with the growing
momentum of telecommunications worldwide and cautioned that African
economies would suffer if they remained outside of the technology boom.
The South African government hopes that getting school children computer
literate will generate more jobs by creating an Information Technology
(IT)-based economy. As the world becomes ever more technology dependent,
computer literacy is seen as an indispensable skill that many South Africans
are losing out on because of funding shortages.
The department of education hopes to get some 250,000 school leavers into
jobs within information technology (IT) by offering students from grades
nine to 12 the chance to study for a certificate in information technology.
Aletha Ling, executive director of MGX, one of the consortiums funding
Gauteng Online says: ‘'The digital world is here to stayàand it is important
we bring everyone into this world.''
The department of education launched the ambitious Gauteng Online scheme
in Nov 2001 in partnership with six technology consortiums. So far, the
project has only been in pilot stages and IBM, Sun/MGX, Mustek, NCD, Sahara
and UNISYS and have provided 30 schools with 25 computers each as well as
software and a training service for teachers. The ultimate aim of the
project is to create the technological environment needed for South Africa
to compete with other countries looking to attract foreign investment.
With the success of the pilot stage, the government is now spending R500
million (50 million U.S. dollars), alongside continuing contributions from
private companies, to expand the project to cover 700 schools by the middle
of 2003. Eventually, in four years time all 1.5 million schoolchildren in
Gauteng will be connected to the rest of the world.
Despite being criticised for being slow to realise Gauteng Online, the
department of education is in no doubt: ‘'We believe that we are on track
and are confident that we can deliver,'' says Labelo Maloka, spokesperson
for the provincial minister of education in Gauteng.
Gauteng education official, Ignatius Jacobs says: ‘'Within the next six
years, the project will be running in all 29,000 schools in South Africa
including private and farm schools. This will position our education system
to achieve its objectives of the 21st century where the intelligence,
talents, energy and enthusiasm of our learners will be utilised. We hope
this will re-direct the energy and talents of learners from substance abuse
and crime - thereby making them part of society's efforts to create jobs and
build our economy''.
Victor Schultze, managing director of Futurekids, a computer training
initiative for children, says that computers are central to training a new
generation of business minded youngsters. ‘'Computers and the internet are
classroom resources that enable teachers to fulfil the new educational
criteria - Part of the process is teaching problem solving which nurtures
business skills and entrepreneurial thinking,'' he says.
But in spite of the optimism, the project was greeted with as many jeers
as cheers. While few dispute that the world is heading into the information
age, critics of Africa's move to keep up, say that technology is best suited
to richer nations. Many schools in South Africa still do not have books,
qualified teachers or electricity and the government has been accused of
trying to fly before it can walk.
Ronald Cilliers, a teacher at Jules High School in Johannesburg, says: ‘'
Although I think it's an excellent scheme. It's a bit impractical. 25
computers (in each school) will not be enough à if the average school has
900 kids. Also telephone costs are high and networking the computers will be
expensive.''
Tracey Stone, a teacher at Barnato Park High School in Johannesburg,
takes an even tougher position. She says: ‘'It seems inevitable that the
funds will dissipate in five to 10 years through theft and incompetence. It
would be better if the education department paid for the learners to be
bussed to centrally maintained computer labs.''
But Maloka hits back at critics saying that computer skills are key to
giving students the right credentials to get jobs. He says that practical
issues such as schools paying for extra security, the potentially high phone
bill and maintenance of the equipment are ‘'challenges'' that will need to
be looked at.
Professor Francis Kornegay of Wits University's South African Institute
of International Affairs commented on the wider concept of Africa using
technology to tackle its problems: ‘'The concept of e-governance is exactly
what these African states need to tackle poverty, illiteracy and engender
development. Information and communication technology is what these states
need to hasten the pace of poverty reduction and eliminate illiteracy.''
But the key problem in the debate is sustainability. Schools have to keep
up with the extra costs associated with rooms full of computers connected to
the internet. In a partnership between the Finnish and South African
government called Scope computers were donated to schools. But, Aaron
Mbatha, a school principal in Johannesburg, says ‘'Since we've put in
computers we've gone from paying R3500 (350 U.S. dollars) a month for
full-time security to R7000 (700 U.S. dollars)''. And on top of these costs,
schools will have to foot the extra phone bill.
Judging by the reaction to schoolchildren with new-found access to
computers, its money, schools better put their minds to finding.
Grade 8 pupil, Lavy Mkhatshwa says: ‘'The first time I sat down at a
computer I was scared. But after a week it was OK." Another student,
Ngomane, a grade 10 student wants computers to play a part in her future.
She says: - When I have learned all I need to know I will open a computer
centre in the community where others can learn''
. (END/2002)
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