In the midst of the disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and its accompanying restrictions, a pioneering cohort of Grade 9 learners in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, are quietly, but boldly, charting their own tech-enabled educational pathway towards a bright new future.
Unhindered by the extended lockdown that has left their peers sitting at home, these learners have continued with their schooling unabated, working and learning from home.
These learners are the first cohort of iBhodi Trust, a partnership which is building a viable blueprint for delivering cutting edge, future-fit education to those who need it most.
Guided by expert teachers and supervised by dedicated, highly-trained support staff, these pupils study an internationally-recognised curriculum, delivered entirely online at a physical classroom set up at Beacon Hill Secondary School with 28 computers, high-speed internet and collaborative workstations.
In response to the closure of school and the national lockdown, iBhodi Trust has provided learners with the necessary technology to continue working and learning from home throughout the full course of the lockdown period.
During "normal" school hours, they receive their lessons online, but are physically co-located in their dedicated physical classroom space.
Founded by Robert Paddock, CEO of the Valenture Institute, managed by a board of trustees and supported by a number of trustees and donors, iBhodi Trust is making world-class education accessible to a broad range of pupils.
Students participating in iBhodi Trust cohorts receive an online education delivered by Valenture Institute, with tuition fees, access to the physical learning space, support staff, equipment and other required necessities provided by the iBhodi Trust.
As of June 26, learners have completed Term 2. They will continue learning online, working from home, until the lockdown regulations are adjusted to allow them to return to working from their dedicated classroom space.