Address by the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, during the Handover Ceremony of the “Virtual Classroom Solution” at Vodacom Offices in Midrand
Programme Director
Members of Executive Councils from Various Provinces Our Gracious Host, Vodacom CEO, Mr Shameel Joosub Basic Education Senior Officials
Vodacom Executive Members Principals, Learners and Parents Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with great pleasure that I address this official handover ceremony of the Virtual Classroom Solution courtesy of Vodacom.
This is part of the Covid-19 Disaster Regulations imposed by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to support online learning and ease congestion on the country’s telecommunication network.
It followed the emergency release of the radio frequency spectrum temporarily to respond to the country’s increased demand for Information, Communication and Technologies (ICTs) services amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
All mobile network operators were required to assist in the national endeavour to keep the doors of learning open during the pandemic.
Thus, we and ICASA agreed that all mobile network operators must establish a Virtual Classroom solution to support virtual learning and teaching during Covid-19 induced intermittent school closures.
It is pleasing to note that Vodacom has complied with the ICASA regulations without external pressure.
This innovation, such as the Virtual Classroom Solution, allows us to have all learning resources in one fit-for-purpose portal designed by experts with the interest of learners and teachers in mind.
The Virtual Classroom solution is agile, innovative and modern.
This clearly indicates that Vodacom takes corporate citizenship more than seriously beyond compliance issues.
The investment made by Vodacom in public schooling today has the ripple effect of benefiting the next generation of learners and teachers.
As I have said before, as a country, we must learn not to spend our children’s inheritance; instead, we must be investing to benefit the next generation.
In the main, the Virtual Classroom will make a difference to teachers and learners in selected schools by improving connectivity and making gadgets accessible, thus enhancing computing skills and appreciation of the power of ICTs.
Secondly, this solution in secondary schools will allow teachers to transform their pedagogical practices by providing improved educational content and more effective teaching and learning methods.
Therefore the ICT professional development for the teachers is pivotal for the success of this project.
Thirdly, this solution will improve the learning process by providing more interactive educational materials that increase learner motivation and facilitate the easy acquisition of basic skills in various subjects.
We are slowly beginning to narrow the great digital divide in the public schooling sector, which warms my heart.
The Vodacom Virtual Classroom complements our first-of-its-kind online programme dubbed: The Comprehension Across the Curriculum, which we recently launched to turbocharge reading for meaning.
On behalf of the basic education sector, I would like to thank the Chief Executive Officer of Vodacom, Mr Shameel Joosub, for reaching this milestone.
Programme director, although the virtual classroom owes its birth to ICASA’s ingenuity, we are alive to the fact that it has its genesis in the country’s basic education policy framework.
The country’s developmental blueprints are outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) and the White Paper 7 on e-Education (2004).
For its part, the NDP says there should be distance education using ICTs to expand learning opportunities for both teachers and learners.
The NDP urges us to ensure that all teachers are trained in ICTs for better delivery of learning, teaching, assessments and school management.
It implores us to ensure universal access to computer facilities for all schools and make available educational materials via modern devices,
e.g. laptops, desktop computers, tablets and smartphones.
I am happy to report that we have finalised a plan to deploy digital Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) through ICTs at all levels of the basic education sector since 2019.
The plan provides the Basic Education Department with a strategy to make the vision of the White Paper on e-Education a reality.
The White Paper on e-Education cajoles us to pull our socks on the ICT rollout.
It proclaims, “If South Africans are to participate in the knowledge economy, every effort must be made to prevent social exclusion”.
In other words, no learner and no teacher should be left behind. As required, we have begun the ICT rollout.
Our Phase 1 (2021/22) rollout offers the necessary connectivity and gadgets to Multi-grade, Farm Schools and Special Schools.
For special schools, we are providing all of them with ICT solutions and assistive technologies appropriate for their needs.
Our basic ICT solution is based on the Guidelines for School ICT Hardware that we developed in consultation with the disability sector.
Plans are afoot to ensure heightened implementation of this ICT rollout in phase two beginning in April 2022, targeting poor schools in Quintile 1 - 3 and outstanding Special Schools.
Phase 3 (2024/24) will complete the universal access to ICTs for affluent schools in Quintile 4 – 5.
At the heart of basic education, reforms are imperative to eliminate the digital divide by ensuring that all schools and education offices access the internet and data within six years.
All learners must access digital workbooks and textbooks on a digital device such as tablets during the same period announced by His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa.
To this end, by 2019, we had completed the digitalisation of Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT) Grade 10 -12 state-owned textbooks (high enrolment subjects).
As I speak, more textbooks are being digitalised.
We have provided 100 schools with an e-Library solution, with enough external investment to the sector; we hope to increase this every year until all learners are connected.
As you might know, education, skills development, and jobs are vital national imperatives to unlock economic growth and sustain livelihoods.
We are proud that Vodacom has responded positively to the NDP’s clarion call for partnerships to improve education for all.
As a collective, we are sure to achieve more in nurturing and supporting our society’s next layer of leadership, our country’s most important assets.
Thanks to a meaningful partnership with Vodacom, we can reach more needy schools in the shortest possible time.
Clearly, for Vodacom, it is more than compliance with license conditions; but an investment in the future of our homeland.
In other words, Vodacom has become an ally for the growth of public schooling, often a Cinderella system in SA.
As the cliché goes, Vodacom is putting their money where their mouths are, a partner with a soul.
With the innovation and commitment to societal change by Vodacom and its stakeholders, today’s launch of the Virtual Classroom Solution is a giant leap into the digital future.
Posterity will remember with glee the pioneering moves by Vodacom, ICASA and us as a footnote somewhere.
Thank you.
