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M M Mateza Primary
Situated in Thembalethu in George along the beautiful Garden Route, this school supports a poor Xhosa speaking community in which unemployment is rife. Initially known as Urbanvale Public School, M M Mateza is the oldest Black school in the Southern Cape and was renamed after one of their very first educators, Ms M M Mateza, after her death.M M Mateza is a large school, with over 1500 learners. The administrative block and main building are constructed from brick, while more than half of the classrooms are prefabricated buildings. Khanya first became involved at the school in 2006. Prior to this the school had no access to technology at all and they felt that technology would make a huge difference in the lives of the learners, educators and the community at large. Through the use of technology, the SGB as well as the educators strongly believe that they will be able to prepare their learners and educators for the future and they will enhance the teaching of mathematics and literacy in particular. With additional funds allocated by the SGB, M M Mateza Primary was able to buy a number of computers of their own to add to those received from Khanya and they have therefore been able to establish a laboratory with 40 computers – almost one per learner in each class group visiting the laboratory. Educators underwent intensive IT-training to empower them in the use of the software they now have access to, as well as in their basic computer literacy skills and it was a very proud moment for all of them when their IT certificates for competency were awarded in 2009. What little initial anxiety may have existed about the technology that was totally foreign to them, has rapidly dissipated as they eagerly attend their training sessions and, even more enthusiastically, practice their new skills with their classes in the laboratory. Learners at M M Mateza Primary are also enthusiastic in their use of the technology. They have mastered the basic skills very quickly and the exposure to the technology has had a very positive influence on their attitude towards teaching and learning. They are now more focused and disciplined in the completion of their homework, not only in the laboratory but in other classrooms too as they have started to realise that they must know the basics in order to achieve good results when working on the computer. M M Mateza Primary is committed to keeping the community involved in the developments at the school by offering computer literacy classes to them and thus developing essential skills and empowering the community.
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