Telecom Firms Pledge Support For ICT Roll-Out In Special Needs Schools

Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, recently convened the first ICT Roundtable on resourcing special needs schools with ICT equipment.

Telecom giants Vodacom, MTN, Liquid Telecom (Neotel), Cell C and Telkom all pledged their support towards strengthening digital education in South African schools, starting with education for learners with special needs.  

Basic Education Director-General Hubert Mathanzima Mweli said the rollout of the ICT programme will be carried out in three phases.

“The first phase, which is planned for 2020, will focus on 447 schools that are specialising in the curriculum for learners with special education needs. Phase two will be implemented in quintile 1 to 3 schools. Phase three will focus on strengthening digital education in affluent schools.”

Motshekga said the implementation of ICT in the basic education sector requires a collaborative effort between Government and the private sector, and called on ICT service providers to come on board in accelerating the implementation of ICT and connectivity in schools.