The Department of Basic Education (DBE) will strive to put a laptop in every teacher’s hands in the next five years.
So says basic education minister Angie Motshekga, reflecting on recommendations made by commissions set up to look into critical focus areas for the basic education system.
Motshekga was speaking at the recently-held 2022 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, which took place under the theme: “Equipping learners with knowledge and skills for a changing world in the context of COVID-19”.
The minister added that in order to broaden access to learning and development, online programmes will also be provided in sign language.
“To ensure sustainability of e-education delivery, dedicated ICT support will be available to all schools,” she told the Lekgotla’s delegation.
“All future infrastructure plans to have in-built ICT requirements. Schools will be guided on how to use norms and standards to procure ICT resources.”
The education old guard has, over the years, tried to ramp-up ICT and e-education adoption.
The DBE and provincial education departments have attempted to do this by supplying electronic devices to learners, including access to e-learning programmes, all in the name of digitally upskilling and preparing the future workforce.
This process, however, was snowballed by the advent of COVID-19 in 2020, as teachers and learners had to resort to remote learning to keep up with the academic year.
Industry commentators have also been vocal that decision-making stakeholders in the education system should, at the very least, consider blended models of teaching and learning, in the wake of the pandemic.
Motshekga pointed out that the commission on ICT, digitisation, e-education management, distance learning and online schools noted the COVID-19 pandemic has dictated a review on how the basic education sector conducts business.
Said the minister: “We cannot go back to methods of teaching that we used before COVID-19; we cannot develop educators on skills that we prioritised before COVID-19. Therefore, it is critical to strengthen coordination of teacher development programmes, including working with higher education institutions to develop both in-service professional development programmes and initial teacher development programmes that would address the new needs.
“This will include ICT skills, vocational skills, technical skills, engineering skills, etc.”
According to Motshekga, the commission added that the education department cannot afford to replace the current workforce, but can redirect their skills and competencies.
“Indeed, teacher development should be a priority moving forward, to equip learners with the skills of the 21st century. Clear action plans, with timeframes, should be put in place, to indicate how this will be achieved in the next three years, and the number of teachers that will be developed in various priority areas, per province, district and circuit.”
In terms of providing internet access for the teacher laptops, the minister says the DBE must work together with ICT companies to increase connectivity in schools.
As a department, we cannot do this alone, she stated. “Partnership with relevant government departments is crucial.
“Broadband must be strengthened to accommodate all schools to benefit from ICT connectivity. We also have to finalise the framework on online schooling.”
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