Teachers often want to get involved but they don't know how or why. It takes more than a one-day training session. Teachers need to be hand-held' for a while to use the technology. The Department of Education's Centre for Education Technology and Distance Education is involved in SchoolNet SA as well as other initiatives with the government and the private sector regarding technology-enhanced learning initiatives. However, ensuring Internet access and growing the necessary skills required to use and maintain the technology pose a greater challenge.
Lots has to be done to get teachers on board.
We're looking at training teachers to use technologies for different applications in the context of school-based learning. An ambitious plan for the training of teachers is to be approved by the education and communications ministries before it goes ahead. Funding is expected to come from the private sector and the Human Resource Development Fund in the communications department. We have to introduce computer literacy into our schools today so that in 10 years' time when the youth enter the labour market they understand the environment. But all this takes time.