Community ICT Technicians

One of the Project's strategic objectives is that young matriculants from the local community are recruited and trained as ICT Technicians
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 The Project provides comprehensive support to these ICT learnerships.

The Community ICT Techncians are provided with "on the job" experience that they gain at the ZSP schools where their skills are developed by shadowing the ZSP Technical Team. Additionally the learnership candidates receive mentoring from and group training sessions with the ZSP Technical Team.

The IT learnership programmes involves periods of college based study. The Community ICT Techncians attend IT techncial courses and sit examinations which - when passed - result in internationally recognised IT qualifications being awarded.

Keen to learn

2012: Eager to start!

The 2012 school year started for educators on Monday of this week and for learners today (Wednesday). There is a sense of excitement  in the schools at the start of this new year.

The ZSP Team has been working to ensure that there is smooth start to the year for all of the ZSP schools. The ZSP Technical Team have ensured all the technology is deployed after the holidays and is ready for the educators and learners to start their Computer Centre lessons.

We are pleased to report that due the precautions put in place by the schools, the Western Cape Education Department and the ZSP Team, there has been no vandalism or damage at any of the ZSP schools over the long school holiday.

Welcome back!

Thank you for your support in 2011

This has been a very busy and productive year in the life of the Zisukhanyo Schools Project.

We would like to thank all the visitors to our blog for your interest in this Project.

We hope that you have enjoyed sharing in our journey throughout 2011.

We look forward to sharing more with you in 2012.

We would like to wish you a safe and peaceful festive season.

 Here is a 2012 ZSP calendar that you can download and print.

Download the ZSP 2012 calendar

Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.

Here are the results from an anonymous survey of educators at the Stage II schools after one year of being "actively involved" in the ZSP training and support programme.

Feedback from the Stage II educators

The project was an amazing help for me, my colleagues and learners in a sense that most of my colleagues can find their way around using a computer and learners are at a higher level in maths than a year ago. The learners are more enthusiastic in using the computer centre during interval, after school and over weekends.
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It had a good impact, since not only did the learners enjoy it one could see the effect in the classroom in the learners’ work and progress.
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The teachers are very excited at the impact the technology has made on the learners mathematics and language results. The learners are more excited about the lessons and the learning buzz is amazing.
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Made me positive and excited about teaching again ,lifting my morale and see it as an excellent opportunity to make teaching more meaningful and to improve my computer skills.

Learners can progress on their own level and pace and lift their self esteem as they feel that they have achieved something. The mathematics of the learners are improving all the time as the lab and the teacher are complementing each other beautifully.

The ZSP Project is a huge asset for the school as a tool to achieve excellence

Going the extra mile - The ZSP Team

A holistic approach to learning

"You can't teach a hungry child" is the slogan of our partner Peninsula Schools Feeding Association (PSFA) and unfortunately this is a reality in the majority of the Zisukhanyo schools. The Project partners with  PSFA to supplement the Western Cape Education Department feeding schemes to ensure that learners have every opportunity to concentrate on their studies throughout the day.

In some cases, where there have not been adequate food preparation facilities, a brand new kitchen has been funded for the school. Two of such kitchens are shown above.

South Africa had been experiencing a national shortage in bottled gas, which the schools use in the preparation of meals. However one school was determined that the learners would not be impacted so they came up with a very creative solution to the problem!!

"When can WE use the computers?" (part 2)

Here are the remaining four Stage III computer centres in use by the educators and learners.

"When can WE use the computers?" (part 1)

Since the infrastructure has been completed at the Stage III schools, we have been told that the constant question from learners at all of the schools has been "When can we use the computers ?"

There were two weeks of initial teacher training at the start of this term to familiarise teachers with the new procedures and software. But as of Monday 24th....well see below!

The teacher training is continuing as both learners and teachers explore this new way of learning.