The Impact Catalyst, in collaboration with mining partners, have undertaken the mammoth task of driving the School Connectivity initiative. This initiative has led to a total of 247 schools being connected across four provinces in South Africa, providing over 172,000 learners and teachers with access to the internet. This effort aims to bridge the digital divide and enhance the learning experience for young people in underserved communities.

“As the world moves towards digitisation, it is increasingly important to ensure that no child is left behind, particularly if South Africa is to contribute meaningfully to the global arena. Using our expertise in driving large-scale ICT initiatives, in collaboration with the public and private sectors, we aim to provide peri-urban and rural schools with the infrastructure necessary for digitisation and to enhance the learning experience. This will prepare learners to be meaningful contributors to a digitised economy,” said Thato Matsio, ICT & Education Head of Department at Impact Catalyst.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the lack of infrastructure in schools to support virtual learning during hard lockdown. A 2022 report indicated that 80% of South African schools (18,563 out of 23,258) do not have internet connectivity for educational purposes. This has posed a significant challenge for teaching and learning, emphasising the need for efforts to bridge the digital divide and provide equitable access to technology.

With the support of mining partners, the Impact Catalyst facilitated the installation of broadband infrastructure in 138 schools in Limpopo, reaching 96,600 learners and educators. In the Northern Cape, 59 schools were connected, reaching 41,300 learners and educators. In Mpumalanga, 31 schools were connected, benefiting 21,700 learners and educators, and in the North-West, 19 schools were connected, impacting 13,300 learners and educators.

During a school connectivity site visit hosted at Deben Primary School in the Northern Cape last year, Mr. Olifant, the Principal of Assmang Primary, indicated that the initiative is needed in most communities, particularly those situated far from libraries and information centres.

“Most of our learners come from homes subsidised by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). This means their parents cannot afford data or Wi-Fi at home, as it is not a priority. Therefore, when learners are given assignments, they must travel to libraries, which can be unsafe. Having this initiative at our school will enable learners to access information in a safe environment without having to travel long distances.”

A survey conducted by the Impact Catalyst as part of the monitoring and evaluation process showed that the Wi-Fi connectivity solution is currently being used in schools for classroom preparations, teaching, and administrative purposes. Furthermore, the most used platforms for learning and teaching purposes are Vodacom e-learning platforms, Woza Geleza, Google, YouTube, Kahoot, Zoom, Yahoo, and MS Teams.

“While we have made significant progress, much more needs to be done to drive the digitisation of schools, not only in the four provinces but also extending the same effort to other parts of the country. The process of installing broadband infrastructure at a large scale can be quite complex, which is why it is important to have the support and commitment of both the public and private sectors,” added Matsio.

The School Connectivity initiative, managed and driven by the Impact Catalyst, is supported by Anglo American, Assmang, Exxaro, Komatsu, Kudumane Manganese Resources, Kumba Iron Ore, SIOC Community Development Trust, and South 32.