ICT IN EDUCATION
DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu has launched another leg of the Information and Communication Technologies rollout programme to address constraints faced by rural schools.
Mshengu visited Inkosi uTatazela High School in Estcourt, under the uThukela District to hand over smart classrooms and other ICT equipment, on Tuesday.
Smart classes, laptops and other equipment aimed to modernise learning were delivered to the school.
“The ICT rollout programme will address constraints of rural schools which are geographically isolated from urban infrastructure and do not have access to the internet,” Mshengu said.
He said ICT in schools was a game changer to modernize teaching methods and improve the day to day running of schools.
“As a department we have placed ICT at the centre of our education system and that is why we have been on a district to district roadshow, distributing ICT infrastructure to schools. We hope to modernize education and leave a lasting legacy for the people of KZN,” Mshengu said.
The department’s spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said, the aim of the programme was to ensure that schools were in line with the fourth industrial revolution.
“The MEC is implementing the rural plan of ICT. All laptops that were given to teachers have a pre-installed digital curriculum.”
While the MEC was still at the school, the equipment was tested. Pupils from Inkosi uTatazela were able to connect virtually, with a teacher from another school.
“Teachers from other schools no longer need to travel to other areas to help learners with lessons. They need to just connect online,” Mahlambi said.
He added that more schools were being supplied with the ICT equipment, but priority was given to rural schools that lacked the Wifi infrastructure.
“In fact, if the department had enough money, all schools would have ICT equipment,” Mahlambi said.
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