IBM South Africa has donated a computer laboratory to the under-resourced Amazulu High School, in Madadeni, Newcastle, in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
According to IBM, its contribution totals R155 000 and includes 17 ThinkCentre personal computers, a server, furniture and Internet connection for a year.
Speaking at the handover event, Lenhle Daka, IBM South and Central Africa`s executive for BEE and government relations, said: "This investment forms part of our strategic focus on improving education in the country, through the use of technology tools to broaden the technical skills base. We believe developing interest in technology careers, by providing access to key tools such as computer equipment, is critical to our country finding a long-term solution to the skills challenge."
IBM has previously made multimillion-rand investments, rolling out hundreds of computers in high schools, tertiary institutions and other needy organisations such as SOS villages.
In addition, IBM has also deployed in excess of 700 KidSmart computer units across the country as part of an ongoing investment. To date, this amounts to more than R12 million. KidSmart units are PCs especially developed for pre and primary school children to introduce them to computer technology at a young age.
Daka added: "For us at IBM this investment demonstrates our commitment to playing our part in the creation of priority skills to ensure sustainable economic growth. At the same time, we are convinced that collaboration with the government is critical to ensuring our education system produces the right skills needed for our country to become competitive in the global economy."
The school offers classes for grades eight to 12. It has 1 231 learners who are all doing maths and science. With a matric pass rate averaging 80% in the recent years, Amazulu has received a worthy boost in the new lab and has since introduced computer studies as a subject, the company says.
"The lab has helped us increase computer literacy and empower our learners for the future," said principal Sipho Khulu.
"As one of the schools in the Dinaledi programme - which is driven by education minister Naledi Pandor, and seeks to improve maths, science and English results in schools - the IBM lab is a timely intervention to transform us into a specialist school in these key subjects, including commerce and computer studies."
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