JOHANNESUBRG – THE Information Technology Association of South Africa (ITA) has partnered with Gauteng Department of Education GDE) on the latter’s Schools of Specialisation (SoS) aimed at enabling scholars to excel in their chosen disciplines.
SoS will focus on particular disciplines such as mathematics and science , engineering, commerce and entrepreneurship, sport and the arts.
The programme forms part of the GDE’s Reorganisation of Schools (RoS) programme under the National Development Plan (NDP).
The ICT industry will play a key role in establishing and maintaining the technology needed for the ambitious programme.
Existing schools will be modernised with hardware and bandwidth, and in other cases new purpose built schools will be equipped with the facilities and teachers specific to the five disciplines.
In addition, the schools will operate differently in terms of funding and other resources, learner selection, teacher recruitment and training, support and development.
Speaking at the SAP offices in Woodmead, ITA President, Sunil Geness , welcomed the ICT industry’s involvement in the programme.
He said the industry’s participation was critical to the success of the initiative.
“The partnership between the IT industry and Government is viewed as critical to the success of education in South Africa, particularly in Gauteng. The industry welcomes the opportunity to engage with the MEC (for Education Panyaza Lesufi) towards realisation of the schools digitalisation programme,” Geness said.
Lesufi said to date the department, had rolled more than 80 000 tablets to matric learners to spearhead the digitalization programme.
“This is making Gauteng a role model in education standards in South Africa and the continent.
The GDE has identified a list of schools that satisfy some of the preliminary requirements to be selected for possible participation in the SoS project. Fontanus Secondary School in Emdeni, Soweto was identified as the first school of specialisation. Construction began last year under the project, Zojazem – which stands for Zola, Jabulani, Zondi and Emndeni.
– CAJ News
