On March 30, the community in Tsitsikamma were finally able to open the doors to two newly-established learning centres at Storms River Primary School and Blue Lilies Bush Primary School, where they hope to have access to technology to improve their skills.
According to chief stakeholder relations officer at MTO Group, Itumeleng Langeni, through MTO Group’s engagement with stakeholders, including Koukamma Municipality, Department of Social Development, and community leaders, Tsitsikamma was identified as one of the regions with poor learner performance and technologically-challenged teachers.
To combat this challenge, she said that the organisation decided to intervene and set up an educational programme that would have a positive impact on the communities and surrounding areas.
Langeni said that in 2019 MTO Group partnered with Edunova, a non-governmental organisation that specialises in ICT skills training, where they launched a teacher professional development programme at all eight schools in Tsitsikamma for three years.
“The programme was aimed at equipping teachers with the necessary skills to integrate technology into their teaching methods, to improve literacy and numeracy among learners,” said Langeni.
She said that the result of the programme was significant, as Edunova in partnership with Youth Employment Services (YES) had created 53 jobs for unemployed youth in Tsitsikamma, becoming Information Technology Enablers (ITEs) to further support this initiative.
Langeni said that the initiative brought about a significant shift in the social challenges in the region, and has impacted approximately 250 family members and created access and opportunities for more than 1 000 learners who are currently involved in various educational and digital skills activities.
She said that towards the end of their programme, which consisted of three phases – emerging, integration and transformation – it became evident that they needed to address the lack of technology and infrastructure in a different way.
Langeni said that they realised that parents and the broader community were not tangibly benefiting from the initiative, and therefore decided to establish two learning centres in the area at Storms River Primary School and Blue Lilies Bush Primary School.
“MTO Group, in partnership with Edunova, is proud to officially launch the first two learning centres in Tsitsikamma,” said Langeni.
Langeni said that many sponsors often fund high schools, but they had decided to specifically fund primary schools, to give the learners an opportunity to become technologically advanced before they begin high school.
“We want the learners from these two primary schools to shine when they get to high school, where they will represent their primary school and community,” said Langeni.
She said that they plan to extend the learning centres to other schools, where it is feasible.
Storms River Primary School principal, Isak Meshaka, said that as a small community and brand new school with 230 learners from grades R to 7, the learning centre brings great excitement to their community.
“It is a very welcome extension to our curriculum. It enables us to uplift the quality of our education,” said Meshaka.
He said that in the absence of a library, the learning centre fills the gap for learners who have been enrolled at secondary school from the area, and it provides a great introduction into the technological world for primary school learners.
Meshaka further said that the centre puts the learners in a position to create quality tasks and assignments.
In addition, he said that the intermediate and senior phase learners would have the opportunity to use the technology to prepare for subjects like Computer Applications Technology (CAT) once they are at a secondary school.
Meshaka said that the unemployed youth in the community would also be invited for training and workshops at the centre to improve their employability.
“The school plans to offer skills development programmes, which include computer literacy and research skills, to the community,” said Meshaka.
Since the nearest high school is over 60km away, Meshaka said that the learners must travel long distances every day which results in a high drop-out rate.
He said that the high drop-out rate in the area results in an increase in drug abuse, gangsterism and crime.
Meshaka said that with the opening of the centre they would be able to minimise these social ills by providing children with opportunities in IT, graphic design, and many other skills.
Blue Lilies Bush Primary School principal, Mbulelo Nyanda, said that despite the school’s learning centre opening on March 30, the centre has received furniture but is still waiting for the necessary equipment, such as laptops and tablets, for the learners to make use of. He said that the centre will only officially open once they have received the equipment.
Edunova executive director, Dietrich Baron, said that Blue Lilies Bush Primary was meant to receive the equipment on April 21, but there was a delay with the couriers.
He said that the school could expect the equipment to be delivered this week.
