Nie Cele
Nokuzola Ngubane
Christmas came very early for one of the best quintal 3 high school in Kagiso, Westrand. This comes after the school was furnished with a fully fledged state of the art ICT Tecnolab by a very caring, dynamic and innovative ICT company Rectron.
Back to the story! In a drive to bridge the digital divide in the country, One of the ICT leading company Rectron is leading the pack in making sure disadvantaged schools are empowered with the much needed Technolabs and ICT technology that will enhance educational outcomes and academic excellence.
This was evident when this blue chip company and its stakeholders furnished Boipelo Secondary School in Kagiso, Westrand with digital technology worth more than R200 000.
According to the company, the project is going full steam ahead in planting the seed of education through ICT equipment countrywide.
The company also revealed to date, and to help overcome ICT challenges in Mzansi, It has donated information and communications technology (ICT) equipment, valued at over R200 000, to three schools within South Africa.
Kutlwano Rawana, Chief of People at Rectron South Africa, told the audience the project is tailor-made to bridge the digital divide for South African youth and is ongoing in addressing educational outcomes and limited access to digital technology.
“With Rectron’s technological capabilities, it is our responsibility to positively impact education within South African. With the way our world is changing and how we operate, it is essential that our children become empowered through digital learning and prepared for a digital future.
“South Africa’s youth are key to transforming our economy, boosting growth and fostering creativity and innovation. Given that technology is transforming jobs, industries and entire economies, it is essential to digitally empower our youth.
“Through our CSI programme Progressive Educational Upliftment (PEU), we want our branches to take a hands-on approach, monitoring the success of our ICT donation and looking for additional ways we can make a positive impact on these schools and surrounding communities,” she said.
School Principal, Thabo Modise, was on cloud nine and couldn’t contain his joy.
He told this publication the donation came in handy and will make sure learners leave school ready to work.
“I am humbled and excited that Rectron chose our school and I am proud of my team. We have worked hard to be noticed and recognised.
“This is a very important donation for our school. We now have a fully-fledged computer centre, where we can teach our children how to use computers and get them ready for the world of work. We have something to showcase that says, ‘We are the school of the future’ and will be chosen by locals as a school of choice,” Modise pointed.
On the sideline, Spencer Chen, Rectron CEO told this reporter his company was proud to bring computers and ICT technology to the needy community.
“This is the third school we have empowered, this programme is still new and we are going to empower more schools. Our vision is to plant more Technolabs around the country,” Chen pointed.
Oupa Koapeng, Director of Education in Gauteng West, thanked Rectron and hinted the gesture will go a long way in bridging the ICT gap in schools for present and future generation.
“As a department our strategic goal is to have IT equipment in all our schools. Such facilities are going to enhance teaching and learning in all our township schools,” Koapeng argued.
DID YOU KNOW?
- According to Stats South Africa 70% South African youth between the ages of five and 24 years do not have access to laptop or computer at home.
- Rectron’s CSI programmed is called Progressive Educational Upliftment (PEU) meaning ‘seed’ in Setswana.
- ICT equipment and state-of-the-art Technolabs have also been donated to Tshelenkosi Secondary School in KwaZulu-Natal, and The Koot Niemann Primary School in the Free State earlier this year.
THIS COMPANY SAYS !
“As a leading distributor of ICT equipment, we are responsible for creating trusted partnerships to make people’s lives better. We plan to build a long-term partnership with the schools in the PEU programme, providing additional support in the future.
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“We remain committed to the development of people from previously disadvantaged communities and hope to introduce additional bursary opportunities for grade 12 learners, as well as invite students to join our Skills Development Programme.”
