The Gautengonline schools project has registered an important milestone following the successful connection of 1000 schools.
Finance MEC, Mandla Nkomfe, has expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far. These schools have been quality assured and are all in good working condition.
According to MEC Nkomfe, “This is an important milestone as it demonstrates the Gauteng provincial government’s vision of ensuring that all learners in the public schooling system have access to email and the internet, the most fundamental catalysts to bridging the digital divide.”
“It is further an important expression of a developmental state that is at work to improve the lives of its people,” added Nkomfe.
The project has come full circle, now incorporating the broader e-government approach by ensuring that the laboratories are also used by communities in a bid to create greater access to government information and services. It has now seen improved security with a 24 hour armed response, ensuring that the infrastructure is guarded against vandalism and theft.
MEC Nkomfe also took time to encourage communities, individually and through their representative organs such as ward committees, Community Policing Forums, school governing bodies, student organisations and teacher organisations, to take ownership of the laboratories and make optimal use of these for their own advancement.
This is in recognition that the overall success of the project is highly dependent on the participation of all stakeholders in the education sector.
For more information contact:
Khusela Sangoni
Cell: 072 510 5408
Issued by: Gauteng Shared Services Centre, Gauteng Provincial Government
17 September 2009
