All matriculants in the Eastern Cape will soon be issued with SIM cards from MTN that will enable them to access all education-related online learning portals free.
Provincial spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Education, Loyiso Pulumani, confirmed that the department had entered a partnership with the service provider to issue all current 72 000 matriculants with zero-rated sim cards.
This initiative is aimed at assisting learners from rural areas who might not have the necessary funds to purchase airtime or data.
Pulumani also mentioned that the department had been conducting daily online virtual lessons since the start of the nationwide lockdown period on March 26.
The lessons can be accessed by following a specific link through a VLC app. This can be done on a desktop computer, smart phone or tablet and is streamed directly on every learner’s cellphone.
As an additional measure of helping learners, Pulumani said that these lessons were supplemented by radio lessons broadcast on 22 community radio stations.
These include: Kouga FM, Kumkani FM, Umhlobo Wenene, Tru FM, Alfred Nzo Radio and Forte FM, among others.
“We upload daily workshops on our website for all Grade 12 learning areas. “The initial focus has been on the FET phase schools (Grade 10-12), but from this week it will be expanded to include all grades,” Pulumani said.
“Some schools are making use of certain apps, such as the D6 app, which most schools are connected to, to communicate daily work schedules with their learners,” he added.
When asked about the success of the initiative so far, Pulumani said that the department would be able to gauge the compatibility of these interventions over time.
“For now the focus is on reaching as many learners as possible with these lessons.”
A matriculant form Nelson Mandela Bay, Robyn Minnaar, said that she had no problem accessing the e-learning sites.
“The one thing I can give the virtual learning credit for is that there are a lot more resources at your disposal.
For instance, there are so many sites just for one subject and most of them have been made free so that everyone could benefit,” she added.
She did admit, however, that there are some challenges regarding online learning too.
“With the virtual learning, no matter how many times you ask questions and your questions are answered, there will always be that part you won’t fully understand.
“This experience has just made me appreciate face-to-face learning so much more. It’s easier to get more out of the subject and to have all your questions answered.”
Here are the steps to follow to gain access to the live lesson streaming platforms:
The link to follow is: rtmp://197.242.147.240/live/2e1.
Desktop computer:
1. Download and install VLC Media player.
2. Open VLC Media Player App.
3. Click on “media” (at the top of the screen).
4. Select “Open Network Stream.”
5. Type in the link provided above.
6. Click “Play” (at the bottom of the screen).
Smart phone or tablet:
Android devices
1. Download VLC Media player on Google Play Store.
2. Open VLC Media Player App.
3. Tap on three lines (top left corner of the screen) and select “Stream.”
4. In the search bar, type in the link provided above and tap on “send.” The video will start to play within a few seconds.
Apple devices
1. Download VLC Media player on App store.
2. Open VLC Media Player App.
3. Tap on “Network” (bottom of the screen).
4. Tap on “Open Network Stream.”
5. In the search bar, type in the link provided above.
6. A control bar will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap to open the video.
Tertiary education
Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela University (NMU) said that it is currently planning to provide students with pathways that range from digital to face-to-face contact and combinations of these extremes, to enable all students to complete the first semester.
“The university’s academic recovery and continuity plan is being designed with an appreciation of the diversity of our students and their circumstances in mind,” said NMU spokesperson, Zandile Mbabela.
“Students will be assisted to learn in different ways and be provided with learning and psycho-social support.
“Likewise, lecturers will participate in capacity-building activities and be supported by the relevant faculty and other support structures to enable them to adjust to meeting the teaching options available,” she said.
