The Western Cape Education Department formally launched its Khanya Technology in Education project today (16 November 2001), when it opened state-of-the art computer facilities at Kleinmond Primary School.

The Khanya Project is developing and implementing innovative ways of delivering curriculum in the Western Cape using the latest in information and communication technology (ICT).

"The latest information and communication technologies offer huge potential for improving the quality of education, especially in disadvantaged schools that have lacked adequate teaching and learning resources," said the Western Cape Minister of Education, Helen Zille.

"We have started Khanya to explore this potential and to introduce systems across the province to make the most of opportunities presented by ICT in teaching and learning."

Ms Zille said that Khanya involved more than installing computers and teaching computer literacy.

"Khanya is about developing models for electronic education, and to contribute to best international practice by delivering the curriculum in all subjects in ways that are especially suited to poor communities."

Over the few months, the Khanya project team, led by Mr Kobus van Wyk, has developed business plans for the project, and has completed pilot installations that will help to guide the roll-out of the plan as a whole.

Examples include the Maths Schools Project, involving 11 high schools in disadvantaged areas where ICT is being used to develop ways of teaching higher grade mathematics.

Another Khanya programme is the Overberg Project involving 55 schools in the Overberg region. The project includes pilot installations at four primary schools in Kleinmond, Grabouw, Caledon and Middleton.

The pilot installations all reflect best international practice and the WCED's vision for Khanya, Ms Zille said.

The WCED and the provincial administration are moving rapidly towards connecting every school in the province to the internet to expand the role "electronic education" in the Western Cape.

The department and the province have invested about R54-million on information technology in schools over the past three years.

More than 1 000 Western Cape schools are now connected to the internet. Almost every remaining school – about 400 altogether - will be connected by the middle of 2002. The remaining schools include about 144 rural schools.

The WCED and the province are addressing problems facing schools that cannot use computers at the moment, for example, due to the lack of electricity.

Khanya is a provincial project, carrying the approval of the Western Cape Cabinet.

The curriculum focus of each pilot is decided by national, provincial and local priorities. These priorities include higher grade mathematics and science in high schools, and numeracy and literacy skills in primary schools.

Various criteria apply to schools chosen for pilot installations. Preference is currently given to poor schools with sound management and good academic results. Staff must be prepared to adopt ICT into their teaching practice.

The educational impact of the Khanya project will be measured by its affect on academic results.

While most schools will benefit from access to computers and the internet by mid 2002, the department expects it will take about 10 years to fully realise the potential of the project. The speed with which schools join the project and receive equipment will be determined by the availability of provincial and donor funding.