• Education

Edugate blazes e-learning trail

Tunohole Mungoba & Yochanaan Coetzee



EduVision, a pioneering e-learning platform was officially launched yesterday with a live science class broadcast to eager learners at Tsumkwe Secondary School, from the Otjiwarongo-based private school, Edugate Academy.

The classes that are broadcast between two specially designed classrooms, will bridge the educational gap between the two schools and plans are to use all the availed equipment and software to change the face of education and the betterment of their students.

This is achieved through advanced inter-learning through visual and aural techniques combined with modern information technology.

The data is transferred via satellite about 35000 kilometres away and by the time information is shared in Tsumkwe, data has travelled a staggering 70 000 kilometres.

The importance and significance of the event was highlighted with strong government representation.

The vice-president of Namibia, Nangolo Mbumba and education minister Katrina Hanse-Hiarwa, joined in the festivities and congratulated Edugate Academy, its sponsors and partners on their hard work in making this exciting innovation come to fruition.

The Tsumkwe constituency was represented by Fransina Ghuaz, a member of parliament and the public enterprises minister Leon Jooste was also there.

Vice-President Mbumba, also took the time to try out the virtual classroom interface and encouraged learners from both schools to study hard and take full advantage of the resources availed to them.

Mbumba and Hanse-Himarwa were then given the honour of officially opening the state-of-the-art new smart classrooms, which were made possible thanks to the generous support from their sponsors.

Paul D'Alton from Paratus handed over a ceremonial cheque to Philip Smit, principal of Edugate Academy, signifying their invaluable contribution of reliable connectivity to this initiative.

Management staff of sponsor companies B2Gold, Namib Mills, Paratus and Telecom Namibia did handover sponsorships and were present to confirm continuous support.

Mbumba was the keynote speaker at the event and complimented the drive and initiative of the project.

“The board and management of Edugate Academy together with private sector donors are the ones driving this classroom revolution which a few years ago, we never could have envisaged as a probability in Namibia. Hence, we can only imagine the ten or 20-fold impact that this type of an e-learning programme will have on the expansion of affordable quality education to the most remote areas, should government and society at large fully invest into it,” Mbumba said.



Grateful

Mbumba expressed his gratitude towards Edugate Academy.

“I would like to thank Edugate Academy, which has arrived at this innovative solution of e-learning, for sharing their knowledge and resources with the previously disadvantaged learners at the Tsumkwe Secondary School. I am told that you will be teaching Mathematics, Physical Science, Accounting, Biology and English through the same well-qualified, competent, and experienced teachers who are teaching your own students here at Edugate Academy.”

Hanse-Himarwa, also complimented the project. “Tsumkwe is one of the most remote and disadvantaged areas in Namibia and it is difficult for teachers to reach those remote areas. Through this project technology help to share qualified teachers to remote areas like Tsumkwe.”

She challenged other private schools in Namibia to help the Namibian child and stated that the ministry targets a 5% increase from ordinary level to higher level for children in grade 12.

The principal of Edugate Academy, Philip Smit said the teaching profession is admirable. “Children must be taught to how to think, rather than what to think. Educators must be aware of the fact that each and every learner has an inspiration. To understand the hearts and minds of learners, it is not important to what he or she already had achieved,” he said.

“During 2017 the control board of the school realised that sharing its expertise outside the boundaries of the school can be of importance to especially those learners in rural areas. After a careful analysis of the grade 12 external results over the last couple of years, Edugate Academy realised that the learners from Tsumkwe Secondary School will definitely benefit from any kind of assistance. After negotiations to obtain the necessary permission to continue with the project and finding money to support the project, Eduvision started its operations,” he continued to add.

Within three years' time, starting in January 2019, at least 1 000 learners must benefit from the e-learning programme.

Those identified grade 12 remote schools who will become involved must have an improvement of at least 25% in their passing rates and learners offering subjects on higher level must improve by at least 5%.

“We have no doubt in our minds that Eduvision can become a national project, reaching remote schools in all corners of our country, giving assistance in Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Accounting and English,” said Smit.