Communications and Digital Technology Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, says the digital college at Lenyenye township, outside Tzaneen in Limpopo, will help improve the digital divide in the country.
The college, the first of its kind in the province, is aimed at teaching young rural communities digital technology, such as coding and robotics.
One of the children we found is building a robotic car that uses sensors. 12–year–old Anderson Sibanda from Lenyenye Primary School, says, “My name is Anderson Sibanda. When I grow up I want to be an IT specialist. Right now, I am creating a robotic car. It’s a car that uses batteries as electricity.”
Other unemployed young people from villages around Lenyenye are also learning about things such as cybersecurity and digital project management.
“I come from Ga-Maake. I am learning at Cisco Networking Academy, which will be able to equip me with technology. It is going to help me to find jobs and to pursue my career,” says one youth.
“I am Nosike Shai from Pharare Village. I am studying Project Management and will help me to find a job.”
A representative of the Belgium Embassy in South Africa, Dr Geraldine Reymenants says the South African economic challenges can also be solved by supporting small business enterprises investing in the digital economy.
Pictorial collage of Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams opening the Digital College in Lenyenye Village,Tzaneen.The college offers various courses including Robotics and Coding for learners from pre-school to Grade 9 as well as Design Thinking for learners from Grade 5 to 12. pic.twitter.com/SD3FVyr1iM
— Dpt of Communications & Digital Technologies (@CommsZA) April 15, 2021
The government of Flanders (Flemish Region of Belgium) has funded the newly-opened digital college in Lenyenye to the tune of R1.5 million.
“When the government of Flanders started its small development program with South Africa, on SMEE development and social entrepreneurship, it wanted to support people and to grow enterprises, because we believe, at the potential, and the need for social entrepreneurship that combines economic, social and environmental goals to contribute to South Africa’s economic growth, while also addressing developmental challenges in a sustainable manner.”
Speaking during the opening of the Vexospark Tzaneen Digital College, Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams says the country needs to invest in the digital economy for its economic standing in the global world.
“(The) President recently announced that the only way to improve our economy is through investment in the digital economy and the fact of it is the vision for digital skills. And he talked about we involve young children at a tender stage. This is what we are doing with the partners that we come here with to look at children that are four years and nine years old being introduced to robotics, being introduced to coding and some other going some cybersecurity classes, others going basic computer skills and this is part of what we are saying if South Africa is going to improve it has to invest in human capital development.”
More digital colleges will, in future, be opened across the country.
Discussion on worldwide digital divide:
