Underprivileged schools received free digital libraries

Underprivileged schools received free digital libraries

Selected underprivileged high schools in North West and Free State provinces received free digital libraries from the non-profit making organisation, Mindset Network. The project, through which digital libraries of educational content are donated to schools, is part of Mindset Network's celebration of the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela.

Thus far, 15 schools from the two provinces benefited from the project. The digital educational libraries are designed for grades 9 to 12, deemed the most critical grades in high school. The libraries provide educational content in Physical Sciences, Mathematics, English, Mathematical Literacy, Information Technology and other key subjects.

The programme consists of over 280 hours of video lessons and 96 interactive multi-media lessons with support softcopy worksheets.

Innovative educational tools

Education stakeholders believe the initiative will make schooling more interesting. Such educational tools will help learners to change conventional ways of reading and studying, by using newer interactive ways of communication. School principal Zunayn Kassim of Zeerust Combined School (one of the beneficiaries) is thrilled with the new programme, which he says will come in handy for both learners and teachers.

The content is aligned to the National Curriculum Statement as introduced by the National Department of Education. The video material is able to offer explanations, applications, examples and tasks which address learners' classroom challenges. Teachers are trained to use the programme which contextualises learning and links it to the real world.

Mindset Schooling Project Manager Sibongile Fakudze says the content will help bring the outside environment into the classroom. While the project is largely aimed at learners, Mindset Network is also striving towards creating such programmes within community centres. “Lack of Information Communication Technology infrastructure in rural areas has been linked to under development in Africa and this initiative can go a long way to addressing such imbalances”.

Provincial Departments of Education from the two provinces are grateful and promised to optimally utilise the digital libraries to improve learning in the schools. The departments encouraged the benefited schools to adopt the technology.

By Goodman Chauke