Vodacom Group, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), has installed its Virtual Classroom Solution at various schools in rural areas across three provinces in South Africa
To enable connectivity remotely for the educators and learners, Vodacom has provided a monthly 10G data bundle plus SIM for the learners and a 20G monthly data bundle with a SIM and MiFi router for the educators. The company also delivered broadcasting and streaming hardware, as well as devices for learners and educators alike. While educator training will be provided by Vodacom, the DBE will oversee progress at the schools and further entrench digital learning opportunities for them.
The virtual classroom solution forms part of Vodacom’s larger Connected Education platform, which was created to transform the education sector by leveraging the power of technology to bridge the digital divide in schools.
A total of 101 laptops were supplied to educators, with 1,360 laptops donated to Grade 12 learners across the schools. Vodacom also provisioned an additional 437 laptops so that the schools can install these in centrally accessible libraries, giving Grade 10 and 11 learners a chance to familiarise themselves with the digital devices and applications, ahead of being issued with their own device when they reach Grade 12.
“ICT continues to be a key driver in the advancement of education, Covid-19 has certainly allowed us to accelerate our progress towards greater access and connectivity for all schools across the country. With this launch we truly believe that the sector will continue to make great strides in ensuring that all children across the country benefit from the opportunities that come with connectivity,” said basic education minister Angie Motshekga.
