Community School Initiative and Focus Week at Ikhwezi Lesizwe Primary School

A buzz of excitement filled the air around Ikhwezi Lesizwe Primary as parents in the neighbourhood were given the opportunity to make use of the ICT laboratory at the school to learn basic computer skills. This event formed part of the WCED and Khanya initiative marking this week as Community Focus Week in which the community were given the chance to learn about ICT. As suggested by the name, the event attracted all members of the community – parents, councillors, municipal workers and members of the police force were invited to skill themselves with ICT at this open day at Ikhwezi Lesizwe.
 
25 parents enrolled on the day and also made enquiries into further lessons in computer literacy so they too could empower themselves at a nominal fee. The school is planning on having extra classes for the community after hours once they have consulted experts in the security field as the school is located in a high risk area and they do not want to compromise their laboratory in any way.

This full week ICT workshop was presented by the Khanya facilitator assigned at Ikhwezi Lesizwe Primary, Thozi Nkowani. Among the programmes trained were:  Basic Computer Concepts; Windows Operational system; File management; Ms Word; Ms Excel; Ms Power-point; E-mail and Internet.

Participants were also given time to explore all curriculum programmes that the learners at Ikwezi Lesizwe use in the laboratory. Teachers were brought in to orientate participants on curriculum software such as CAMI and how this programme is being integrated with learning areas in the classroom.

Participants received certificates after completing this short community skills and morale regeneration course.