State of the art computer labs designed for e-learning have been supplied to twenty schools through the collaboration of two NGOs and two ICT companies. The NGO Qhubeka focuses on access to opportunities and sustainable living, which includes access to learning and information.
Anthoy Fitzhenry, Project Sponsor of Qhubeka, said: “e-learning allows self-starters to educate themselves. We have found generous partners who have donated equipment that has been distributed to a range of schools in communities involved in the Recycling for Life programme of the NGO the Wildlands Conservation Trust.”
Intel donated 320 Classmate laptops, and Pinnacle Technology Holdings supplied 16 teacher laptops and connectivity through wireless networking. Eight Pietermaritzburg schools have been supplied with this equipment, and St Christophers School in Pietermaritzburg recently received their computer lab consisting of 20 Classmate laptops, a teacher’s laptop, e-Learning class software and wireless connectivity.
Said Caryl Cullen, Science and Computer teacher at St Christophers School: “This will enable to us to use the e-Learning Class application, managing the classroom, communicating with the students, and assisting individuals using the teacher’s laptop. The teacher can also send messages, remote commands and interactive quizzes from the teacher’s laptop to the students’ Classmate laptops.”
“e-Learning is student-centred learning and requires students to be active, responsible participants in their own learning. Thanks to Wildlands we have had training last week and will receive further training shortly, which means we are able to utilize this equipment as it was intended.”
Hannes Steyn, Business Development Manager for Intel, said: “Our aim is to create opportunities for education by teaching the future generation using 21st century tools. We partnered with Wildlands in donating this equipment because of the sustainability model they offer, which ensures that the training and full use of this equipment takes place.”
The Wildlands Conservation Trust is an environmental NGO working with vulnerable communities, including needy learners, creating opportunities to earn with projects such as Indigenous Trees for Life (participants grow and trade trees for goods) and Recycling for Life (participants collect recyclable waste and trade it for goods). This in turn leads to more sustainable communities that are cleaning and greening their own environment.
Picture: Pupils from St Christophers get to grips with the new Classmate laptops donated to their school, while teacher Caryl Cullen guides them through the process.
Picture credit: Simon Winn/Wildlands Conservation Trust