The South African Democratic Teachers Union has welcomed the laptop initiative and committed the Union to provide assistance to the successful roll out of this very important programme.

The potential benefits of this programme – for teachers, learners and the education system – are manifold:

• As a society we are still struggling to come to terms with the new knowledge economy – with a large part of the society still excluded from these developments. Training teachers in general ICT skills is crucial to rolling out such skills to all learners and creating an enabling environment in every school in every village and corner of the country.

•  In terms of communication, there have been challenges in communicating vital information to schools and teachers directly – especially where School Districts are not functioning properly. The laptops and the internet will play a vital role in bridging this gap. One warning however – don’t drown the teachers in a flood of official memos. Rather ensure that all communication is focused, user-friendly and attractively packaged – and of course teachers should not be expected to pay for communications from the Department. As unions we already use email to maintain contact with our structures. As all teachers get access to these skills and facilities, they will be able to receive information on a daily basis.

• As SADTU we have always argued that the key to the delivery of quality education are well-trained, motivated and supported teachers.  Clearly,  access to laptops and the internet provide massive opportunities for on-going teacher development. This should support other initiatives such as teacher development and training centres, enhanced district level support and school-based professional learning communities.

• This technology also allows the Department to disseminate curricula learning materials instantaneously – giving the teachers immediate access to the tools of the trade.

• We call upon SADTU leadership at all levels to advise and guide members in order to protect them against scrupulous service providers who are not accredited.

Addressing the launch, SADTU President Thobile Ntola said it was crucial that we monitor and evaluate the implementation of the laptop roll out. “And beyond that we need to ensure adequate training and support for teachers on the ground – particularly in remote rural communities,” he said.

ISSUE BY: SADTU Secretariat