Programme director
Head of Departments (HODs)
Mr Malope
Senior Managers
Our partners
Subject-advisors
Trade unions representatives
Journalists
Ladies and gentlemen
I stand here before you full of joy and excitement because today we have come to witness the official hands over of laptops to our subject-advisors.
This intervention, ladies and gentlemen is highly commendable as it seeks to strengthen and support the delivery of the curriculum in our public schools.
Subjects Advisors will continue to remain critical in our noble quest to deliver quality teaching and learning in our schools.
The 2009 National Curriculum Statement (NCS) Implementation Review Report commissioned by Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga acknowledged the role of subject advisors as the ‘main intermediary between the curriculum policy and classroom practice’.
It is therefore important that we create conducive environment for subject-advisors to execute they responsibility of improving quality of teaching and learning in our schools with ease.
The provision of these laptops and the introduction of information communication technology (ICT) in our schools will go a long way in creating new possibilities for subject-advisors and teachers to engage in new ways of information gathering and learning and teaching.
This initiative will expand the learning opportunities and access to educational resources beyond those immediately or traditionally available.
It is therefore critical that stakeholders at school level must take advantages of these technological changes.
The programme for improving the quality of education cannot be based on ‘whether we should introduce ICT in teaching and learning’ but how we can successfully introduce ICT in schools.
The symbolical handsover of these laptops is a clear government’s expression of gratitude of good and indispensable work done by our subject-advisors.
We are proud that we have cadres of subject-advisors who stop at nothing to help our teachers and learners to understand the subject content in various learning areas.
I am sure that these subjects advisors are looking forward to share ideas, learning from each other and improve quality of teaching in the province.
These laptops come with build-in 3-G cards for internet connectivity and the data projector for presentations.
The initiative will also serve as a catalyst for the eradication of the digital and technological divide, as both urban and rural subject advisors stand to benefit from this innovation.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is no doubt that ICT integration in teaching is an extremely positive addition to the learning environment as it brings rich and diverse resources into the classroom.
This in turn leads to the formation of a more dynamic and productive learning environment.
We have assembled here today to collectively make contribution to curriculum support for the benefit of our education system.
The curriculum lies at the heart of the schooling process. It specifies what should be taught and how and how learning should proceed.
It must be educationally sound and based on appropriate pedagogic theory. It must be practical, easily understandable and implementable in the context of South African schools.
The 2003 e-Education strategy for education sector offers new opportunities and challenges in this regards. The curriculum should also strike the right balance between prescription and opportunities for teacher innovation in the classroom.
The provision of these laptops and Future pen package lays basis for an ICT revolution in our schools. The success of this programme largely depends on the commitment of both the subject-advisors and educators. Through their collaborative efforts, the quality learning and teaching will truly turn our schools into centres of excellence and answer question posed by former President Mandela at his first Cabinet meeting: ‘Is our education system on the road to digital Age?’
In conclusion, as we officially hand-over these laptops we hope that they will provide you with challenge, the inspiration and impetus to get involved in this digital skills revolution and bring about a better life to all our learners.
I take this opportunity to thank district directors and subject-advisors for embracing this initiatives and I hope you are very proud of this programme and that you will utilise these laptops as real catalysts for curriculum support.
I thank you.
