IT skills uplift Cape students

5 Oct 2009

Discovering that of the 1000 job seekers ADT Security interviews every month, the majority do not have the most basic of skills and are therefore unemployable, the company has established the ‘ADT Teach' programme.

At present, the programme is being run at three schools, Sophumelela, Zisukhanyo and Intsebenziswano in Samora Machel and Philippi in the Western Cape, and is offered to 178 Grade 10 learners.

Adrian Good, MD of ADT Security Coastal Regions said, “We identified education as the priority for our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme as we believe it to be the foundation of our country's future. Basic computer literacy education is a crucial aspect in preparing students for employment or university studies.”

Theresa Cook, training and development manager for ADT says, “The children are so keen to learn computer skills that they each spent an entire week of their June holidays at school on the course.”

The team consists of trainers Avuyile Koli and Lukuko Hina who travel to the schools to deliver the training. Koli is enthusiastic about the programme, “Many schools in the townships have computers which people donate to them but they do not have teachers with the skills to teach the subject, so the computers remain unused.”

ADT Teach has provided 15 laptops, 3-G router and generator that for the programme where there is enthusiasm and lots to learn in the classes. “We have to start from the beginning, teaching them to click on the mouse,” says Koli, but once they are up and clicking, the world of computers and the internet and e-mail is open to them.

“We've found that the learners who do maths and science have tended to stay with the programme and are very enthusiastic about it. One of the big challenges has been giving the classes in English because all the computer programmes require the use of English. Next year's Grade 11s will be conducting the classes in English, at the moment it is a mixture of English and Afrikaans,” continues Cook.

“Everyone involved in the programme agrees it is providing a valuable service. The response to this programme has been very positive, from both learners and the schools' administrators. ADT partners with the South African Education and Environment Project (SAEP) in terms of curriculum development and liaison with the schools,” concludes Cook.