GAUTENG MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi has revealed that his department will continue to champion ICT and implement its paperless classroom programme.
Over the years, the GDE has championed skills development and ICT adoption in schools across the province via the paperless classroom programme.
The initiative aims to address educational needs in the 21st century by supplying electronic devices to learners and teachers, as well as enabling access to e-learning programmes, to digitally upskill and prepare the future workforce.
At the same time, classrooms are equipped with smart boards, computers, printers and other ICT equipment that is used in teaching and learning.
The GDE’s efforts, however, have been hindered by a series of robberies of computing equipment. Shortly after the programme was introduced in 2015, schools became prime targets, and criminals started setting up syndicates in communities to steal smart boards and other ICT devices.
He said thus far the programme continues to be relevant to addressing the educational needs in the 21st Century, including challenges brought by the Covid-19 Pandemic since the academic year 2020.
Lesufi was outlining his department’s budget vote speech for the 2022/23 financial year at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in Johannesburg.
The ICT and paperless programme rollout is in line with the GDE Education Roadmap 2019-2024 and acknowledges the potential that the ICTs has in enhancing daily teaching in the classroom.
According to Lesufi, the ICT implementation will target two categories of schools: full ICT schools and no-fee-paying township secondary schools.
Provincial guidance will be provided in several key areas to assist districts, circuits, schools, managers and teachers in the strengthened delivery of the curriculum during 2022.
Lesufi explained: “Besides subject-specific support, priority attention is to be paid to learning recovery processes, assessment practices and subjects with a practical component, including technical subjects.
“The utilisation of ICT and remote learning opportunities will be further improved by monitoring utilisation and participation, identifying user challenges and providing support to ensure optimal utilisation. In particular, teacher capacity to integrate ICT with teaching and learning practice will be prioritised.”
During 2022/23, the GDE also plans to intensify monitoring and evaluation of curriculum delivery, he stated.
“The framework focuses on accounting for, and the proactive auctioning of curriculum delivery support in key areas central to achieving improved learner outcomes – whole school improvement, curriculum coverage, completion of school-based assessment tasks and utilisation of resources. The findings of the monitoring and evaluation process will be directed to the relevant support function of the department for priority attention.”
“School and teachers’ accountability will be prioritised and strengthened across all levels of delivery to ensure what we are reporting on is actually implemented. This is to be actioned via cyclical accountability sessions which rely on evidence-based reporting across the system.”
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