Message of Support from SADTU President, Comrade Thobile Ntola

On behalf of the leadership of SADTU and our 250,000 members, we welcome the laptop initiative and commit the Union to provide every 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 well-trained, motivated and supported teachers are key to delivering quality education. 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.

Just one note of caution. As a country we have a track record of developing brilliant policy and then floundering when it comes to implementation. We need to make sure that we learn from our mistakes. It is therefore absolutely vital 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. We expect the ELRC’s Training and Development Committee to provide overall coordination and planning for this process and for service providers together with District Offices to provide or facilitate this kind of specialized support.

Perhaps we need to come back here in six months or a year to receive an implementation report – based on the feedback from teachers themselves - to evaluate the progress made.

As SADTU we commend the ELRC and the partners to the Council for this initiative and we thank all those who have worked so hard to make this programme a reality. At the end of the day in supporting the teachers, we improve the quality of education delivery, and we benefit the learners – which must always be our first concern.

I thank you!