The Telkom Foundation today handed over a state-of-the-art ICT Lab to the Morutwa Secondary school in rural Limpopo, as part of Telkom’s ongoing commitment of investing in digital education and better learning spaces for South Africa’s young people.

Officially opening the new Lab, Telkom Chief Digital Officer Sello Mmakau said such donations expressed the belief of Telkom and the Telkom Foundation in telecommunications as a driver of development for individuals and communities.

“ICT access, digital skills and connectivity are engines of personal and economic growth,” said Mmakau. “Telecommunications is the portal through which we access training and job opportunities, and how we build our professional networks.”

We anticipate that over 350 learners in Grade 10 – 12 and 25 educators will benefit directly each year, with even more reached through community engagement and support programmes.

The donation is being made in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. It comes on the eve of World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD) on 17 May, which this year has the theme, “closing the gender digital divide unlocks opportunity for all”.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) reports that 70% of men use the Internet globally, compared to 65% of women, a gap that leaves 189 million fewer women online than men.

The gap is widest in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), where only 29% of women are using the internet. There are gaps in access, affordability, digital skills, participation in STEM, and leadership in the tech sector.

Mmakau said providing equitable access was key to ensuring equitable outcomes and ensuring digital inclusion.

The new Telkom Foundation ICT Lab will feature 40 new workstations, 10 laptops, and new-generation digital connectivity to access learning material for teachers, learners, and the surrounding community, which is outside the Limpopo capital, Polokwane.

Online resources will include platforms such as TelkomLearn; Lightbulb; and BCX Learn through Alibaba Cloud. The new ICT Lab will allow learners to do online educational research, conduct online experiments and ultimately apply to universities.

The donation also includes pre-owned desks and office furniture for classrooms and staff areas, a school website with email addresses for all staff, and Telkom support for electricity connections.

Telkom Foundation is the CSI arm of Telkom. The organisation works with government, the private sector and schools to improve education in science, technology, English, and Mathematics – based on a shared conviction that digital skills and access are critical to equipping he country’s youth for the future.

“Our primary focus is leveraging Telkom resources and ICT capabilities to improve education,” said Telkom Foundation Head Judy Vilakazi. “The objective is to drive sustainable socio-economic solutions and to make a difference for South Africa's communities. We are proud to be able to make a contribution here at Morutwa.”

Morutwa Secondary principal ETI Manyuwa said that the new ICT Lab would have enormous benefits for the community.

"This Lab will help connect our community to the world," she said. "It will allow children to access knowledge online, but it will also allow our teachers to improve the training they can provide our learners through a more powerful online teaching resource.”

The ICT Lab will also make Marutwa a connectivity hub within the Gadikgale district, where it is located.

“This ceremony is a culmination of a long process. We are so excited to see it come to fruition. It is the latest in more than 25 years of similar projects aimed at connecting South Africans to a better life through technology,” Vilakazi concludes.