BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY MEDIA FOR AFRICA

Vodacom, Huawei partner to launch e-Libraries programme

Vodacom, Huawei partner to launch e-Libraries programme
Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
08 Jul 2015

Vodacom, Huawei Technologies, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the Nelson Mandela Foundation have partnered to launch an e-Libraries programme across 61 resource centres in South Africa.

The e-libraries programme is an educational content application. Huawei plans to sponsor the resource centres with 400 tablets so that users are able to access the e-books.

In terms of internet connection for accessing the collection of e-books South Africa's mobile operator Vodacom plans to provide Wi-Fi connectivity for the learners and members of the communities using the devices.

According to Vodacom the tablets come preloaded with a collection of e-book content which includes genres of African literature, history, business/entrepreneurship and fiction.

The e-books content, which is available in all the 11 official languages, will come from publishing partners such as Via Afrika, Oxford University Press, Shuter & Shooter, FunDza and complemented with the Department of Basic Education and the Nelson Mandela Foundation also providing content.

Recommended

And although the tablets are pre-loaded with e-books, users will also be able to download other content.

Speaking at the partnership announcement on Tuesday Vodacom's Mthobeli Thengimfene said that each of the 61 centres will be equipped with at least six tablets with high speed internet connectivity to be able to download the books.

"In each of the tablets a number of books have been loaded," he said.

Through this programme it means we are able to continuously update the content remotely without having to go to the centres and people will be able to download the books they are interested in, said Thengimfene.

"We want to encourage learning. It's not only about the books but it is also about forming reading clubs around each of the centres," he said.

Thengimfene explained, "The issue has always been about encouraging uptake and make it change people's lives. We are working with ours partners to not only install these gadgets but also make them actively utilised by the people by forming reading clubs and similar programmes."

According to ReadaBookSA only 1% of South Africans buy books from bookstores.

Commenting on the launch of the programme Huawei's vice president of East and Southern Africa Region, You Jiangtao said education is the key to bridging Africa's digital divide, which is why Huawei decided to get involved with this project.

Deputy minister of basic education Enver Surty noted that government's dream is to equip one child with one tablet in South Africa.

"Education must be recognised as a public interest because when you recognise education as a public interest it means you've got to speak to the issues of redress and equity.

"Between 2015 and 2030 we do not only speak about quality education but about quality education that is a human right and that is a public good and a public interest," said Surty.

Security

In May a spate of burglaries forced the Gauteng Education Department to withdraw tablets that were handed over to schools in the province.

According to the department of the 88,000 tablets handed over to learners, more than 3,000 have been stolen.

Thengimfene told ITWeb Africa that the tablets do have security features such as being secured on the desk at the centres but that is just a method to minimise and not necessarily prevent theft.

"For us each of these libraries are within the teacher resource centres that already has its own security features so it is not something that is standing alone.

"We have got security features in each of the resource centres that have been established. Out of the 61 teacher centres we have had break-ins in only two of them. That talks to the level at which the communities are themselves securing the facilities," he said.

Share

Read more
ITWeb proudly displays the “FAIR” stamp of the Press Council of South Africa, indicating our commitment to adhere to the Code of Ethics for Print and online media which prescribes that our reportage is truthful, accurate and fair. Should you wish to lodge a complaint about our news coverage, please lodge a complaint on the Press Council’s website, www.presscouncil.org.za or email the complaint to enquiries@ombudsman.org.za. Contact the Press Council on 011 484 3612.
Copyright @ 1996 - 2025 ITWeb Limited. All rights reserved.