Johannesburg, 26 Apr 1999
President Nelson Mandela once again created some magic today for the children of South Africa. With the help of PQ Africa and other businesses, two schools in the rural areas of Transkei have been transformed.
Only last year, the Xolilizwe School in Willowvale and the Tutor Ndamase School in Nyandeni had no electricity, no ablutions, no furniture and no equipment such as computers. President Mandela and local king, King Xolilizwe, approached business to take an active part in improving the lives of the people by contributing to the social upliftment of this area.
Today (Monday, 26 April) the hard work was finally rewarded and President Mandela handed over the new, improved Xolilizwe School to its pupils. The Tutor Ndamase School in Nyandeni will be officially reopened on Friday.
PQ Africa has created computer centres at both schools through the donation of 16 computers and a printer to each school. The centre will not only be used by the two schools, but will also benefit neighbouring schools and the community. PQ Africa, with the help of Future Kids, will train the teachers to help them in leading the children to computer literacy.
Eskom installed electricity, Joshua Doore donated furniture and RMB provided money for a technical wing to the schools.
"The responsibility of improving South Africa no longer solely rests on Government. Education is one of the key areas where business has the ability to join Government in the process of upliftment," said PQ Africa Chairman Don Ncube. "In the past, opportunities to enter the IT sectors excluded members of the previously disadvantaged communities, but today our contribution has allowed us to create an environment that will help train and develop more people in IT skills."
Some of the other initiatives PQ Africa has undertaken to provide IT opportunities to more people in South Africa, include the creation of a PQ Academy - a training institution with the sole purpose of producing highly qualified and skilled professionals in the IT industry.
The group has also established a computer centre in Ulundi, and hope to develop more centres in other areas. It has also launched a partnership with some of the banks to train young black people in technical IT skills and have embarked on a schools computer literacy programme - currently running successfully in a number of Gauteng schools in Tembisa and Alexandra.
"PQ Africa aims to provide opportunities and encouragement for present and prospective employees to develop themselves in all relevant skills and to acquire broad business understanding and judgement to enable each individual to realise their full potential," added Ncube.
@EditorNote = PQ Africa
PQ Africa recognises that there has been a lack of computer education in schools, colleges and universities serving the disadvantaged. The group has addressed these issues with the establishment of the `PQ Academy`. Its aim is to train up to 400 students per annum by the year 2000. Although all population groups are included, the emphasis is on providing opportunities for the disadvantaged to whom the world`s fastest-growing business has been a closed shop. A corporate company often sponsors students and several of them fund themselves. PQ Academy campus comprises 1500 square metres of lecture rooms equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and software, as well as modern training aids and computer-based education systems.
PQ Africa`s social upliftment endeavours are closely aligned with the National priorities i.e. education. Education is the most critical element in improving the quality of life of all South Africans and as such, over and above the establishment of PQ Academy, we have embarked on the following additional programmes :
In association with the National Council for the Blind, PQ Academy is training blind individuals in programming skills and some of these individuals are being employed within PQ Africa on successful completion of the course. These students attend the same classes as sighted students.
At the launch of the PQ Academy, PQ Africa provided the Minister of Communications, Mr Jay Naidoo with a substantial Education Bursary, which is being utilised to educate students at the Academy. Deserving students are identified and recommendations made to the Minister, who then personally approves the granting of the Bursary. On completion of the course they are then placed to take up meaningful positions within PQ Africa`s our group of companies. The value is R120 000.
The Academy has provided two lecturers, at its expense, who undertake IT training lectures at the Technicon Gauteng North. Value is R72 000.
PQ Africa, in association with the Reserve Bank and five other banks, (Nedcor, NBS, Boland, FNB, Standard Bank) has initiated a program designed to mould future leaders and professionals in the IT industry. The Information Technology Banking Internship Program ("ITBIP") allows a number of highly motivated candidates, particularly from a disadvantaged background, to embark on an intensive learning program after which they are well placed within the financial institutions. The project is on going and is valued at R400 000.
In addition, PQ Africa has embarked on various computer awareness programs. "Q Vector Computer Literacy Program" enables students from secondary and higher primary schools to attend computer lessons at the Academy after school hours. PQ Africa transports the learners to and from their schools. After the 4-month course duration, the learners are awarded certificates. Several such courses have been completed over the last 2 years. 72 students are trained per project with a total annual cost of R84 000.
Dynamique Africa`s Training and Development Programme. Graduate candidates are sought from the previously disadvantaged communities and given comprehensive in-service training and skills development to effectively manage a payroll/HR system. A mentorship / coaching approach ensures that not only technical knowledge but also real world consulting experience and business etiquette are transferred. The programme started in January 1998.
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