Betty Moleya
Pretoria - Three renovated schools in Hammanskraal were given ICT equipment to aid their learning and enhance skills.
Ramabele Secondary as well as Mmatso and Rapeleho primary schools received fresh wall plastering, coats of paint and office furniture, in addition to laptops.
The renovations were sponsored by Altron Nexus together with the Gauteng Department of Finance and e-Government, working closely with the Gauteng Department of Education.
They were renovated to provide a teaching and learning environment worthy of the community, and ICT equipment to introduce learners to computers while they are still in primary school.
During a walkabout in the schools, community members, student governing body members, government officials, and school management were shown the upgrades, and told the technology in the classrooms made it easy for learners to understand and see visuals of what was being taught.
The reception of the officials was a happy day for school management teams, who said the makeovers would not only benefit the learners, but educators and staff members at large.
Staff rooms were given white, large boardroom-type tables, that will provide all teachers with a conducive working station, and Ramabele Secondary was also given smart boards connected to the internet.
The renovations came after MEC for Finance and e-Government Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited Mmatso in 2019 during Mandela Day and she noticed the need.
From that visit, the two other schools were also identified for the much needed renovations, and yesterday Nkomo-Ralehoko said connecting the primary schools to internet and technology was to ensure learners felt included and not forgotten.
“They must not feel that they are in an excluded area. These learners are from a disadvantaged area. We want them to feel that they are important.
“We want black children to benefit from the fourth industrial revolution, and we are going to provide all the necessary tools for them so that they can know how to use computers like other children.”
Nkomo-Ralehoko said the renovation project did not stop at the three schools, as in the future they would identify other schools in other areas in need of renovations.
Kennedy Chinganya, managing director of Altron Nexus, said as a corporate organisation they were able to partner with the government to uplift communities.
"We do not want these learners to grow up like us, where we learnt about technology in varsity.
“We will be working together with the MEC’s office to make sure that we digitally close that gap within our communities.”
Pretoria News