More than 1.4 million learners in public schools in the province now have access to the cutting age technology of the Internet delivered through the GautengOnline infrastructure. This consolidates the project’s status as the largest Cloud Computing initiative in the African continent and one of the biggest e-learning programmes in the world.
The project is one of the provincial government’s key ICT initiatives aimed at transforming Gauteng into a Smart Province. It was initiated not only to provide computer literacy to leaners, but to support the delivery of quality education by creating a sustainable e-learning environment in the classrooms of public schools so as to bridge the Digital Divide.
GoL is currently operational in 1 562 schools in the province. The number of learners with GoL user IDs, passwords and e-mail addresses has reached 800 000, while over 40 000 educators in the province are connected to the network.
In addition, traffic across the GoL network continues to grow and millions of Internet page requests are delivered to Users every week. These figures clearly demonstrate that the provincial government fully understands and appreciates the opportunities provided by the Internet and the impact that e-teaching, e-learning and e-education have on enhancing the delivery of quality basic education.
However with the significant advances in technology, and the inclusion of curricula into the ICT environment, the physical computer laboratory (GoL’s delivery method) has become obsolete. Today computer tablets have are the globally preferred method of disseminating information and curriculum content.
In line with these global trends, the GoL project has undergone a strategic review and its name has been changed to e-Learning Solution to reflect the core objective of the initiative.
Structure of the e-Learning Solution
Whereas the GoL was a turnkey solution provided by a single service provider, the e-Learning Solution will be structured as follows:
Devices
- Huawei Technologies will provide all the tablets
- Each public school will receive 44 ten inch devices
- A total of 88 000 tablets will be procured
- All 2 200 Provincial public schools will benefit
- These tablets will remain the property of the Gauteng Provincial Government
Connectivity
- Cloudseed will provide the core network which will comprise of WiFi and 3G connectivity to all 2 200 Provincial public schools
- They have been awarded a two year contract
- Thereafter, this service will be insourced and provided by the Gauteng Broadband Network
Cost comparison and benefit analysis
GoL
- Total project costs R2,2 billion
- Coverage 1,552 public schools
- Coverage per school 25 workstations
- Asset structure Operating lease
- Business model Turnkey solution
- Software application Open source standard
E-Learning Solution
- Tablets - R289m
- Network lease costs - R107, 2m
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Total capital costs over 2-years- R396,2m
- Coverage (Uncapped) - 2,200 public schools
- Coverage per school - 40 workstations
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Asset structure - Tablets owned by the GPG
- 24-month network lease
- To be transferred to the Gauteng Broadband Network in January 2016
- Business model - Two service providers involved
- Software application - Android (open source standard)
- Broadbased empowerment involved and targeted skills transfers
- Latest e-Learning architecture employed
Enquiries:
John Mgwenya
Head of Communications
Cell: 083 844 3573
E-mail: john.mgwenya@gauteng.gov.za
