Mondale High School was one of the beneficiaries to receive ten tablets for their top ten students from Vodacom as part of their e-school initiative on Tuesday. Vodacom introduced its education portal initiative at the Mitchells Plain school, after it identified the need for internet connectivity in an area where pupils do not enjoy those luxuries as a result of financial constraints.

The portal can be accessed from any mobile device. During the launch, Vodacom executive head for corporate citizenship, Suraya Hamdulay addressed the group of teachers and pupils on the the project and how the portal can be used to improve the learning experience of students outside the classroom.

The education portals known as Vodacom e-schools will allow all pupils and teachers access to information pertaining to the current CAPS curriculum at public schools across the country. Vodacom customers have free access to the portal however, other networks can be charged. The portal will offer students an opportunity to access relevant information in line with the education they receiving at their schools, outside of the classroom.

“Vodacom is very excited to be at Mondale High. The project was officially launched by the National Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga in January 2014. We are giving learners from across the country access to help enhance their learning experience outside of the classroom. The portal is an aggregation of the current curriculum at schools across the province from grades eight to twelve,” Hamdulay explained.

“We have other content providers such as Mindset Learn and Siyavula that are contributing to the website. We have created this website with partners to supplement the portal with all the information that learners need. We have identified that learners across the country are challenged in terms of resources.”

Mondale Principal, Mr Owen Bridgens while thankful for having his school selected, expressed his concern for the preparedness of their learners after they matriculate.

“We see how rapidly technology is advancing and it is and will be something our learners should be able to adjust to and manage when they venture off into their respective career field. We want them to be equipped but many learners do not have access to internet or computers at home,” said Bridgens.

“With this project, our learners can simply use their mobile phones, login on the Vodacom e-school portal and have all the information in the comfort of their homes, outside of school hours. In out attempt to become the top school not only in Mitchells Plain but in the province, we are sure this new project will help our learners get their fast,” Bridgens said.

Top student at Mondale for 2014 and now in her last year of secondary school, Lynne Levit was one of the recipients to receive a tablet which Vodacom issued in an attempt to encourage other students to try and reach those top academic positions at school. Levit said she can not wait to make use of the portal with her new tablet and further hopes it will help her through the tough months ahead in matric.

“We can use this portal to not only help us study but if we need help with assignments and just general questions on how to do something, we can go to our phones and have all that information with just a click of the button. This will definitely make it easier for a lot of children at our school who also don’t have computers and internet at home,” Levit said.

The the Vodacom e-school portal is accessible to students from all across the country. Hamdulay added that Vodacom has identified the lack of access to learning material such as texts books which makes it all the more challenging for learners to excel at school and hopes to address this challenge through the Vodacom e-school portal. VOC (Ra’eesah Isaacs)