By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
South Africa has opened two
new cyberlabs in Gqeberha’s Northern Areas to expand access to digital devices,
internet connectivity and digital skills training for learners, teachers and
community members.
Minister of Communications
and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi announced the opening of the facilities
at Fontein Full-Service School in Gelvandale and Soutpan Primary School in
Arcadia, Bethelsdorp, as part of efforts to promote digital inclusion and
create opportunities for young people.
The cyberlab at Fontein
Full-Service School was opened on Monday in partnership with Liquid Intelligent
Technologies, Microsoft and Devaire, providing learners and teachers with
devices, connectivity and digital skills training.
The second facility, opened
at Soutpan Primary School, was developed with Sentech and equipped with
tablets, computers, headsets and internet connectivity.
Malatsi said the initiative
was intended to address the challenges faced by communities that often feel
overlooked in the delivery of government services.
“The events were bigger than
the opening of a computer lab. This was about access, inclusion and opportunity
for hundreds of children, teachers and community members,” he said.
He noted that many children
still share one smartphone with their entire family or wait for a parent to
return home with a work laptop before accessing digital resources.
“Geography and economic
circumstance cannot decide who gets to learn online,” Malatsi said.
The cyberlabs will provide
learners and teachers with opportunities to develop skills in coding, robotics,
graphic design and web development, helping them use the internet to explore
educational and career opportunities.
The facilities will also
provide training on online safety, including how to guard against
disinformation, cyberbullying and grooming.
Malatsi said the skills
acquired through the initiative could help learners pursue careers as coders,
data scientists and engineers.
Deputy Minister of Higher
Education Yusuf Cassim, a native of Nelson Mandela Bay, joined the minister at
both schools during the openings.
“We will measure every
cyberlab by the lives it changes,” Malatsi said, expressing hope that the
classrooms would produce future coders, designers and entrepreneurs.
