Telkom plans to invest R22-million on improving broadband internet access at schools in the Western Cape.

The corporation announced this decision at a function at Grassy Park High School today (6 February 2009).

The corporation also opened the first Telkom internet café at the school. Telkom is investing in internet cafes at a number of schools to run as businesses after school hours.

This will enable schools to use their technology to raise schools funds. It will be up to the school to decide how manage this facility.

The decision to improve broadband access at schools forms part of Telkom's 2010 for 2010 project to connect more than 2 000 schools across the country to the internet by December 2010.

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) a partner in this initiative through the department's Khanya project, which uses education technology to support teaching and learning.

"Telkom has decided to invest no less than R22-million in the project in the Western Cape, which will make a massive difference to the way we use computer technology in education," said Ron Swartz, Head of Education in the Western Cape.

"We are deeply grateful to Telkom for this investment, which will enable learners to leap the digital divide by gaining access to high-speed, broadband internet connectivity at their schools. The investment will cover no less than 150 schools."

Telkom is also investing in three interactive white boards for each of the schools, along with three data projectors and three laptops per school. Interactive white boards represent the cutting edge in education technology.

"Khanya will help Telkom to select the schools and to support the project through training and technical support. We will roll out the project with Telkom over the next two months," Swartz said.

"Khanya, an initiative of the Western Cape Education Department, is well placed to support this project. Khanya has won prestigious awards both nationally and internationally, and has set the standard for the use of computer technology in schools."

"The importance of Telkom's project cannot be underestimated. Telkom is providing free broadband access to the internet for a year for the selected schools, and will provide access in subsequent years at a reduced rate."

"This will make it possible for these schools to afford internet connectivity for their learners," Mr Swartz said.

"We have already connected 98.4% of Western Cape schools to the internet, but in many cases, this is used for email for administration purposes, and not necessarily for teaching and learning."

"The problem has simply been cost. Many of our schools cannot afford to use the internet for teaching and learning, simply because of the cost of connectivity."

"The Telkom project will now make it possible for participating schools to afford greater use of the internet for teaching and learning support."

Another significant advantage of this project is that the interactive whiteboard, laptops and data projectors will make it possible to bring computer technology into the classroom.

"We have focused largely on computer laboratories till now," said Swartz. We have ensured, for example, that all high schools have computer laboratories, to support delivery of the national curriculum for matric in particular. These laboratories have added considerable value."

"We are now looking increasingly as well at introducing technology directly into the classrooms. Some of our schools provide excellent examples of best practice in this area."

Khanya has helped nearly 1 000 schools to use technology effectively. We have helped 974 schools so far while another 151 are in various stages of preparation for the next wave of implementation.

Khanya schools are currently using 37 782 computers. Khanya and our donors have funded 23 328 of them, while schools have procured 15 454 themselves.

Khanya has empowered 22 533 teachers to use technology optimally for teaching and learning support, and a total of 755 169 learners are currently reaping the benefits of the project.

"All of this means that we have already installed a critical mass of computer technology for it to make an important difference," said Swartz. "This had helped to build a culture of using technology in schools, which in turn is helping to prepare learners for the global knowledge economy."