Link to Atlas Project

Documents

Overview

E-Learning represents a potentially equalizing strategy for disadvantaged South African youth, as new technologies promise to reduce the socio-economic barriers that limit their access to the educational opportunities necessary to create sustainable livelihoods. For many public schools, already marginalised in terms of education opportunities and infrastructure, access to internet-based learning can provide them with access to high-quality educational resources at a cost significantly more affordable.

E-Learning is especially relevant in the current environment, where the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in school closures for extended periods of time. However, COVID-19 has also exposed the wide digital literacy gap that prevents schools, teachers, and students from easily adopting a digital education system. Barriers include Internet connectivity, underprepared teachers and institutions, lack of finance, inconsistent power supply, and suitable online learning platforms. In addition to magnifying the digital gap, consequent stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 have had far-reaching economic and societal implications including food insecurity, access to childcare, health care, and systemically corrosive outcomes like an increase in domestic violence.

However, as a positive, COVID-19 has also accelerated the need and appetite for adopting digital technology in schools, providing a unique opportunity to bridge the connectivity and educational content gap for students in South Africa.

sERVICE EQUIRED: WIFI connectivity to schools and, if necessary, the provision of the required infrastructure. The service provider will also be responsible for a cloud-based platform that is integrated into Google’s education suite.