A Project of the Western Cape Education Department    
KHANYA SCHOOLS

Thembelitsha Primary

Thembelitsha Primary is situated in Concordia Location between Bongani Location and Joodsekamp, two informal settlements near the main road in Knysna. The school serves an impoverished community in which unemployment is rife, and on the increase. Naturally, this impacts on the learners and the school believes that with the Khanya Project’s involvement at the school and the proposed establishment of a computer laboratory, learners will develop skills that will enable them to break this cycle of poverty by being qualified for better jobs.

The school currently has no access to technology at all and their educators are therefore not skilled in using it as a teaching tool. They are, however, extremely excited about the prospect of adding this to their repertoire of skills. They believe that it will enhance their delivery of the curriculum and it will empower them to use technology for their professional development.

Thembelitsha Primary knows that the world in which their learners will have to learn to function is a technological one and it is vital that they are afforded the opportunity to develop these skills. With this knowledge under their belts they will be better equipped to cope with the demands of high school and to one day find gainful employment.

Although there is still a long road ahead until the provision of the relevant infrastructure and training can take place, the wheels have started turning and a sense of excitement can be observed amongst the various role players. Considering the empowering experiences that other Khanya partner schools enjoy, this school stands to reap the rewards of patience as they stand on the threshold of the world of information accessed through Information and Communications Technology.

School Details: (as at 2009-11-04)
Area:Knysna
Language:Xhosa
Project Stage:Curriculum delivery
Type:Primary School
Number of PCs:22
Educators:24
Learners:863
Learner/PC Ratio:39:1
Facilitator: E Roux
 
This art work has been done by the learners An outside view of the possible venue for the Khanya laboratory