26 May 2004

By Sipho None

GAUTENG'S district west education department recently received a shot in the arm when the Mogale Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) announced an initiative to give learners Internet and computing skills.

MCCI's Colin Ansell made the announcement at a business breakfast meeting held at the Aloe Ridge Hotel near Muldersdrift, Mogale City.

Ansell said the MCCI decided to link up with the education department to empower learners and unemployed youngsters in the greater Mogale City by providing IT skills. "The idea behind the programme is to produce people who can market themselves in the outside world. We want to empower our learners and the youth so they can compete in IT with their counterparts in other parts of the world," he said.

Ansell, a computer guru and businessman, said the MCCI had conducted thorough research into the information technology and Internet fields before deciding on a course of action.

The announcement was well received by both business and educators in Mogale City.

Judith Dube, the institutional development support officer in district D2, said the partnership would lessen the burden on the department's staff. "This partnership comes in handy and we are happy that business people have realised the need to assist the already overburdened department. I hope our staff will be able to concentrate on other areas of learning and leave the computing sector to people like Ansell," she said.

She cited IT as one of the most neglected sectors, despite the growing number of learners entering the field.

"We need to think creatively on how to help our learners realise their dreams," Dube said.

The education-business partnership should be ongoing and sustainable in order to realise the goals of the New Partnerships for Africa's Development and the principles of Batho Pele, Dube added.

The partnership would also help the education department in realising its dream of rolling out e-schools by 2014.

The MCCI s announcement came after the Gauteng Department of Education initiated the Gauteng Online programme in more than 500 schools, which were given 25 networked-computers.

Ernest Johnson, a former learner at the Randfontein Senior Secondary School, was over the moon at the announcement. He said it was about time the community and business worked together to enhance the development of education.

"We cannot afford to be stagnant any longer. This partnership really shows there is a need for our communities and business to move together in the development of our education. What we now have will allow us to move into the future. We need to use our resources usefully for the benefit of the disadvantaged and those who really need them," Johnson said.

Learners would be trained at schools, said Ansell, adding that unemployed youngsters would have to register at his offices in Medical Centre in Mogale City.

Ansell also has another ambitious plan up his sleeve - he dreams of turning Mogale City into the e-mail marketing capital of Africa in the near future.

Source: Dikgang Tsa Mogale