More than 760 000 children in the Western Cape can now learn using computers - mostly in poor communities - thanks to the Khanya project of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

The project has installed computer laboratories at more than 1 000 Western Cape schools over the past eight years. The WCED celebrated this milestone at Capricorn Primary School in Vrygrond today (Thursday, 2 April 2009).

Khanya is an initiative of the WCED to use technology to support teaching and learning.

Ron Swartz, Head of Education in the Western Cape, said that Khanya's role involved more than installing computers and teaching computer literacy.

"Khanya has always been about developing models for electronic education and to develop best practice by delivering the curriculum in ways that are especially suited to poor communities."

"The project has featured in no less than 14 award programmes so far, nine as award winners and five as a finalist," Mr Swartz said.

"While we celebrate these achievements, our greatest reward has been the delight in the eyes of young children in poor communities as they log into the amazing world of cyber-learning for the first time."

"Some of these children are here at Capricorn Primary in Vrygrond, one of the poorest communities in the Western Cape. Despite this, they have access to the same technology that you will find in our wealthiest schools," he said.

Khanya, which means "light" in isiXhosa, started in April 2001. Early initiatives included a Maths Schools project at 11 schools in poor areas, and four pilot installations at primary schools in the Overberg district.

By this stage, the WCED had already launched a Telecommunications project, to link all schools to the internet, for communications purposes.

The department connected more than 1 000 schools by October 2001, and most of the remaining schools by March 2003. About 40 schools did not have electricity, and the WCED worked with Eskom to provide electricity to these schools by 2004.

Khanya's challenge was to realise the potential of information technology in teaching and learning, Mr Swartz said. Khanya's aim is to provide access to learning using technology in all Western Cape schools by 2012.

By March 2009, Khanya had delivered and installed hardware at 1 029 schools, with a further 133 in the pipeline, bringing the total number of schools involved so far to 1 162. This represents 75% of 1 545 Western Cape schools, including special schools.

The project is on track to meet its objective, but this will depend on available budget over the next four years, Mr Swartz said.

"While technology lies at the heart of the project, Khanya is ultimately a people business," Mr Swartz said. "The project is not a dump and run exercise."

For this reason, Khanya had always placed considerable emphasis on teacher training and support. Khanya also involves communities from the outset in any installation, to ensure community support from the start.

Many communities get directly involved by donating or helping to build and prepare computer facilities. Partnerships played a crucial role in ensuring success, on local levels as well as the Khanya project as a whole.

Examples of partnerships include sponsors of a learnership programme to employ and train candidates in Khanya schools responsible for maintaining computer systems. Candidates can use their training to start their own businesses.

Special Khanya projects to date include ensuring that every high school had computer laboratories to support the new national curriculum for Grades 10 to 12. Khanya installed these laboratories by 2006.

More recently, Khanya installed the first solar-powered computer laboratory at Bernadino Heights Secondary School in Kraaifontein, completed in August 2008. The equipment uses only a third of the power consumed by a conventional computer laboratory.

The solar panels produce power for other uses when the laboratory is not in use, for example, during holidays.

Khanya and a service provider are using an online system to track Khanya computers and computer parts to deter theft. Software automatically scans all computer parts for serial numbers and stores the information on a central database.

If police suspect that a computer or part has been stolen, they can check serial numbers online. The system has contributed to a dramatic drop in computer-related theft at schools.

Khanya is working with Telkom to improve access to broadband internet services at 150 Western Cape schools. Telkom is investing R22-million in the project.

Khanya and Apple computers celebrated a partnership earlier this week to support design and music studies at 14 high schools, including 10 arts and culture focus schools, and literacy and numeracy at six primary schools.

Khanya now forms part of a new WCED directorate responsible specifically for e-learning and library services.

Current e-learning projects include building a Learning Management System, to provide online access to teaching and learning content; providing access to digital resources at district resource centres; computer training; and evaluating software for teaching and learning.

"We have come along way in exploring and realising the potential of technology in education," Mr Swartz said. "We have learned a lot and will continue to learn as we strive to reach our objective of universal access in our schools by 2012."

For further information, contact Kobus van Wyk (083-374-4853) or Ingrid Graham (082-492-1873).