By Levy Masiteng
Mobile operator Cell C has donated two new digital labs at Gamagara High School in the Northern Cape and Kagisho Combined School in the Free State.
According to the company, this is part of its drive to expand access to digital learning in under-resourced communities, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education.
The labs are equipped with laptops using Cell C connectivity, a high-performance server, a projector, and the C3 Micro Cloud solution, designed to make digital learning practical, engaging, and accessible in communities where technological resources remain scarce.
Cell C funds, equips, and connects the digital labs as part of its CSI and digital inclusion drive. The DBE, as strategic partner, chooses the schools, aligns the labs with the curriculum, organizes teacher training, and takes custodianship of the facilities within the public school system.
At Kagisho Combined School, the new ultra-modern lab can accommodate 25 learners at a time and includes 25 laptops for learners along with three laptops for educators, a server, network connectivity and other essential tools. Educators will also receive software training to ensure the full utilisation of the facility.
“Our goal is to ensure we contribute meaningfully to the national imperative to have every learner get the opportunity to gain the digital skills and confidence needed to participate fully in an increasingly connected world,” said Lethiwe Hlatshwayo, Managing Executive for Corporate Affairs at Cell C.
The Free State Department of Education welcomed the investment, saying it reinforces the province’s commitment to academic excellence.
“Education is our focus and priority and as the province that always produces good results, we are grateful to Cell C for lending a helping hand with this lab. We are building futures,” said Michael Tshabalala, Mangaung Metropolitan Education District official.
This latest handover forms part of Cell C’s partnership with the DBE, which seeks to roll out Cell C Digital Labs to schools in nine provinces.
In mid-June, Cell C and the department delivered a fully equipped digital lab to Sozama Secondary School in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. At the time, Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes said: “These digital labs don’t just provide evidence of our fight against digital exclusion but also represent the hopes and dreams of the students at Sozama Secondary School.”
Tshabalala expressed gratitude about the new labs. “Every development that comes into this province is for the benefit of our learners. We also want to thank educators for their contribution in developing our learners for the future. We are building futures,” he said.
INSIDE EDUCATION
