Success of teaching and technology celebrated in Mpumalanga
The project was launched in 2015 aimed at bridging the digital divide in the rural schools in the Ximhungwe Circuit, Bohlabela District, and urban schools which have access to Technology for example the Internet and other educational resources.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education together with Singita Sabi Sands and European Space Agency celebrated the success of Teaching and Technology project.
The celebrations took place on April 20 at the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate.
MEC Reginah Mhaule used the occasion to congratulate the team that facilitated the initiative and equally appreciated the positive impact it made in the participating schools.
“The coming to fruition of this programme as well as your willingness to extend it to secondary schools is fulfilling and much appreciated. Thank you so much. We are thrilled by the positive developments that have transpired because of the Teaching & Technology collaborative partnership between the Mpumalanga Department of Education, Singita Sabi Sands and the European Space Agency” she said.
Space for Education ( S4edu) is a programme initiated and promoted by the European Space Agency with the aim of supporting children’s education in under‐developed/disadvantaged areas worldwide via a sustainable service.
S4Edu leverages on the sustainable S4Edu platform developed within the frame of the ESA “Integrated Applications Promotion” Programme.
It has created a sustainable educational service platform to address both shortages providing; Interactive training courses to
teach teachers to obtain teachers’certifications; Access to Internet to better prepare lessons.
On top of that, a light cyber café service is provided outside educational time, supporting emails, video calls and “community information sharing” across remote villages.
Also read:Schools have a shortage of science teachers
The envisaged S4Edu tools/services represent de‐facto an enabler for a micro economy within the remote communities around the schools that may be used as follows:
(a) In the mornings to support teaching teachers and students;
(b) In the afternoons to promote new teaching technics;
(c) In the evenings to provide visual educational and entertainment content in the local community.
Teachers have been trained about literacy topics and a dozen of the most skilled teachers received on‐service literacy certifications useful for their career.
