With the global community of learners, teachers, and educational institutions having observed World Teachers’ Day last month, there’s no better time to look more closely at how the lives of learners everywhere can be positively impacted by the growth of digital and connectivity access.
Digital access allows teachers and learners alike to collaborate with peers on tasks or projects no matter where they are located. This boosts learners’ skills in creativity, critical thinking, and innovation – three of the top skills needed by professionals in the future world of work, according to WEF.
“In South Africa, making the internet more accessible continues to chip away at the massive digital divide, enabling those with fewer resources to access education and improve their lives,” says Vuma’s Lianne Williams. “From Vosloorus, Soweto, and Soshenguve, to Retreat, Kayamandi, and Blue Downs, the more learners and educators who can connect to the internet, the better our odds as a country in dealing with socio-economic challenges like poverty, crime, and unemployment.”
Vuma recently connected Woodville Primary School in Cape Town with free 1Gbps fiber, making it the 730th school to enjoy the benefits of fast, reliable fiber internet courtesy of Vuma’s Fibre to Schools Programme, an initiative that aims to empower learning institutions located on its fiber deployment routes with free fiber internet access.
“Internet access is essential to attaining the skills necessary for generations entering the future world of work. Advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills in addition to digital literacy capabilities are vital to this end, and for learners to survive the future world of work,” adds Williams.
In South Africa, however, access to connectivity is still not as widespread as it should be, creating a barrier to STEM skills development among learners in the country. In fact, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) noted that just 6,085 schools were connected to the internet in 2021: this amounts to just 26.1% of all South African schools.
Increasing reliance on digital platforms and hybrid classrooms heightens exclusion for learners without the internet, limiting education and opportunities post-COVID.
Mrs. ML van der Merwe, principal at Hoërskool Roodepoort, says that while the pandemic left many learners on the backfoot when it came to their education, access to the internet has had a positive impact on the learning environment at her school. “Fibre has allowed for more effective interventions, additional classes, online parent meetings, and much more. It was especially helpful during and directly after the COVID-19 lockdown, allowing us to continue quality education and learner engagement despite learners being away from school.”
Vuma set up a fiber connection at Otto du Plessis High School in Port Elizabeth in 2021, positively impacting learners’ end-of-year results. The school’s matric pass rate reportedly increased from 78% prior to the installation of fiber to 82% the following year, thanks to lightning-fast, reliable internet access. This is certainly a welcomed statistic, especially at a time when concerns around the number of learners in South Africa who either fail or drop out before completing matric are high.
South Africa’s digital divide may be prominent, but internet access has the power to break down barriers to access and give more South African learners the opportunity to boost their employability in the future workforce.
Prioritizing fiber internet expansion in South Africa enhances learning opportunities, fostering success for learners entering the workplace in years ahead.