ICT Support Township Schools # Maintaining-Computer-Labs

Maintaining-Computer-Labs of township schools

In comparison to private schools (former model C schools), township schools are facing the reality of having almost no computers and Information Technology (IT) at their disposal. The knowledge of IT is very limited and learners are facing the consequences. These days knowledge of IT is essential for having a job or study at Universities and Colleges. It is sad, that due to the limited access to IT, some learners have to suffer and stand back behind their peers from Private School. The inequality in the labor market is then a fact. To increase knowledge we have set up a Computer-Literacy-Skill project. In this project Ready4life is tackling the problems around maintaining-computer-labs and the setup of IT infrastructures.

Challenges township schools are facing

It is not always the case that township schools don’t have a computer lab. As we visit schools it’s not seldom that we find well equipped computer labs. Not having IT teachers often leads to not using those computer labs, or only few of those computers are used for admin purposes, as student registration. Assessing those computer labs, we experience that software is outdated, computers are full of viruses or not working. The computer labs have not been maintained. Although township schools have a paper budget for maintaining-computer-labs, its hardly been used for that purpose, because many suppliers are not even registered on the database of the department of education. A few big IT suppliers are, but they only deliver computers.

The access to internet is also a huge challenge. A lot of educational programs are free available on the internet which could contribute tremendously to eradicate literacy problems at primary schools. See our project Kids@school

The general knowledge of IT in a township school is very weak. Facing an increasing speed of development in the IT world, township school learners are getting more and more behind in comparison with their peers.

A challenge we are facing in the IT world is the fact, that IT students have often not the possibility to get practical experience in their field of profession.

Together we can # Maintaining-computer-labs and give IT students practical experience

sReady4life has been working for more than 10 years in the township schools and has a lot of experience in how to maintain computer labs at the schools and make them workable. Ready4life sees this project broader than only maintaining. Schools should use their computer labs, because there is a huge need. In our Computer-Literacy-Skill project we train teachers, learners and community members. Ready4life is maintaining-computer-labs in the schools for free as long as funding allows. In exchange, Ready4Life has free access to those computers to train the community members for a subsidized fee.

The possibility of working with the township schools gives a unique platform to IT students and graduates to gain practical experience. Especially students from TVet colleges are facing quite a bit of hardship by not finding internships. In this project we can give them their practical experience.

IT experience

By working with township schools over all those years, Ready4life has gained a lot of practical experience, such as:

Turning an outdated computer into a working computer
Virus cleaning
Installing Wifi networks (if necessary long range Wifi networks)
Connecting tablets
Redesigning of servers
How to set up backup systems
Set up infrastructure and complete new school labs using the latest computer technology
Assisting with database problems of SAM school software

Thanks to a donation of a state of the art computer lab in Ready4life’s Support And Research Centre (SRC), it is possible to maintain computers and servers of township schools very efficiently.

Ready4life is grateful for the donations it receives every year from the big software houses as Microsoft and OSfinancials. We are looking for donors who want to support internships for IT students.