High-tech multimedia centre for special needs students opens at Vhembe TVET College

The innovative development, valued at R1.249mn, will see the 20 workstations in the multimedia centre adapted to cater for deaf, blind and partially sighted students.

“The MTN SA Foundation, through our various initiatives, aims to bring the power of technology and a connected life to those most in need by contributing to the national quality of teaching and learning. We are proud to launch our latest centre at the TVET College in Limpopo, to ensure students are future-fit,” says Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, General Manager of the MTN SA Foundation.

“This is the second TVET college to receive a state-of-the-art multimedia centre to assist learners with their education, and our support does not stop here,” says Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

The TVET college provides holistic courses that accommodate learners despite their physical and partially sighted limitations. The over-arching programmes cater to the needs for skilled artisans, IT Technicians, employees in the Tourism, Hospitality fields and training engineering-related studies identified by the Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

“We decided to jump in and offer further specialised support for these programmes. The multimedia centre has been modified to provide computer-aligned zoom text and jaws software programmes for the partially sighted students and specialised software programmes installations for deaf students,” says Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

“By focusing on education through a holistic and comprehensive ICT solution, we are committed to supporting government by uplifting the learning and teaching experiences in disadvantaged schools across the country,” says Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

The programme is structured around the effective use and integration of technology and digital content in the classroom through the construction of multimedia centres, provision of equipment and curriculum-aligned software. Added to this, is basic ICT training for educators to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively use the technology in teaching, while provision of internet support for 24 months per learning institution is also provided.

MTN’s R1.249mn investment at Vhembe includes the following:

• A fully refurbished lecture room
  
• 20-seater workstations, with keyboard and mouse for each station
  
• Interactive whiteboards with accessories (wand and pen)
  
• Web Camera HD High-end and stand
  
• Instructor PC
  
• One data projector
  
• One multipurpose printer
  
• Offline digitised educational content and interactive learning content for both multimedia centres
  
• Antivirus protection
  
• Office 365
  
• Air conditioner
  
• Training on the equipment and digitised content for a minimum of 10 staff members
  
• 30GB data connectivity per month for a period of 24 months for each multimedia centre

“The MTN SA Foundation embraces a vision for corporate citizenship that seeks to digitally enhance, through technology and innovation within the ICT sector, the capacity of poor and disadvantaged communities to achieve self-reliance, while improving and uplifting lives. In this increasingly digital world, we are pleased to expand this support to TVET Colleges to do our part in ensuring that students are equipped and excited to enter the job market of the future,” concludes Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.