Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in KwaZulu-Natal Schools
The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal has been inundated with media enquiries about the use of ICT in KZN schools. These enquiries follow the announcement by the Gauteng Department of Education that it is introducing what it refers to as paperless classrooms. All public schools in KwaZulu-Natal have been provided with the ICT infrastructure and resources for school administration.
Over 1 500 schools in the province have ICT resources and infrastructure (CPU/projector combo, interactive whiteboard, laptop computer, desktop computer, netbook, digital projector, tablet etc.) for teaching and learning.
Over the period of three years (2012-2014) the KZN DoE collaborated with Sentech to investigate the viability of very small aperture terminal (VSAT) as a cost-effective, reliable and affordable connectivity option for rural schools. Eighty Eight (88) such remote were piloted throughout the province.
Evaluation exercise conducted by both Sentech and the Department, revealed that VSAT technology – as currently available in South Africa, was neither a cost - effective nor a reliable nor an affordable connectivity option for teaching and learning. Other proofs–of concept include 205 schools in the Pinetown District that were provided with ICT resources, infrastructure and connectivity by Telkom through the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Fund. The KZNDoE collaborates with various suppliers of tablets technology and publishers of econtent to ascertain the efficacy and educational worth of these resources.
Thirteen (13) schools in the Pinetown and Umlazi Districts are participating in a pilot where tablets and e-books are used to teach Mathematics and Natural Science in grades 8 and 9. Last year (2014), 77 schools received connectivity, ICT resources and infrastructure (24 tablets, a laptop, a digital projector, a file server and two routers) from Vodacom in terms of the ICASA universal services obligation for all telcos licensed in South Africa.
This year Neotel will be joining Vodacom to fulfill their quotas in providing connectivity and ICT resources to schools, in terms of the license obligations.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is participating in a National ICT in Education initiative/intervention involving all nine provinces and coordinated by the Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate in the Presidency.
This initiative involves all stakeholder and role-players (Public and Private) in the ICT in Education environment. The initiative intends to leverage on governments economics of scale to source information and communication technologies resources and infrastructure to realize the implementation of e-Education in the country.
The National ICT in Education initiative uses the “big fast results” (BFR) methodology that was pioneered in Malaysia. Government has used the BFR methodology on two social development initiatives viz the National Health Insurance (Department of Health) and the Oceans Economy (Department of Economic Development and Tourism, KZN.
Given the size of the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal (over 2.6 million learners, over 80 000 educators and over 6000 public schools) it was important that the Department use research-based approach to implement the White Paper on e-Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning through ICT.
The KZN DoE adopted an e-strategy (2015 -2019) at the KwaZulu-Natal Education Summit that was held on the 24th and 25th of April 2015.
The e-Education Strategy document was synthesizes from White Paper on e-Education, the National Development Plan, the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa, Action Plan 2014: Towards the realization of Schooling 2025, South Africa Connect and other allied policy directives.
The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal is moving forward with speed to ensure accessible and qualitative education for everyone. Together (with our stakeholders) we are moving South Africa forward through quality education and skills development.
For more information contact:
Muzi Mahlambi
Cell: 082 519 1420
Sihle Mlotshwa
Cell: 072 207 2018
Dennis Nkosi
Cell: 076 521 4362
