PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 2104
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 6 November 2009
QUESTION PAPER NO: 27
DATE OF REPLY: 19 November 2009
Mrs J D Kilian (Cope) to ask the Minister of Communications:
(1) Whether thousands of schools have no form of ICT services or
infrastructure or internet connectivity; if so, what are the (a) short-
; (b) medium- and (c) long âterm strategies to remedy the situation.
(2) what measures will be taken to factor in and overcome the impact of
unpredictable migration patterns on the implementation of such
strategies?
NW2542E
REPLY:
1) (a), (b) and (c):
While some schools have access to basic communication services, e.g e-
mail, telephone, etc, the majority do not have internet connectivity.
In response to this challenge, the Department of Basic Education and
other relevant ministries have developed a national connectivity plan
for schools to in the long-term provide a national standard for
connectivity to all public schools and to ensure a structured and co-
ordinated national programme. This plan will ensure the provision of
cost-effective, secure and efficient connectivity to public schools.
This national connectivity plan is an additional intervention for the
provision of connectivity to public schools, other interventions have
occurred at provincial levels. In the short-term the Department of
Communications is working closely with the Department of
Communications is working closely with the Department of Basic
Education and ICASA in respect of fast-tracking pressing legislative
interventions.
2) The Connectivity plan for public schools seeks to provide
connectivity to all public
schools on an equal basis, regardless of their geographic location
and their affordability status. Due to the high number of public
schools and their diverse circumstances, the plan is based on various
categories of public schools such a primary and secondary as well as
factors such as the number of learners. As this plan focuses on a
national programme the various categories should take care of
unpredictable factors.