At a school level, there was a survey in 2017 (Padayachee, K.: A snapshot survey of ICT integration) which looked specifically at the use of ICT in South African schools and the findings showed that although ICT is included in the curriculum, there is very little information for educators on how they can effectively integrate technology into their teaching. Teachers in the survey explained one major issue was a lack of skills and the time for them to learn new skills, as well as frequent power failures and poor network coverage.
Many teachers were found to be using their own devices and data projectors, as well as using their personal data plans to download teaching material. Another concern from the teachers in the study was that there was no support provided and they were concerned about the physical security of the equipment.
Our Solar Learning Lab project has been designed to address barriers like these, creating a dedicated power supply from the solar panels to ensure the lab can run even when areas loose their power supply. The lab is sturdy and locks to give teachers piece of mind that the equipment inside is safe. Providing equipment means that the teachers don’t have to use their own devices, and we implement teacher training during school holidays so that teachers are not choosing between improving their skills and running their classes.