advertisement
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Reddit

Gauteng schools looking for people with great ideas

There’s no shortage of armchair pundits when it comes to ideas about fixing education in South Africa, but the Gauteng Department of Education’s move to actually offer to listen to them seriously has to be something of a first.

In what seems like a highly admirable, yet strangely under-publicised new initiative, anyone or any firm that considers themselves capable of holding forth on the subject of innovation in schools – especially around tech – is being invited to sign up to a register of correspondents which the department will monitor for new ideas.

It’s called the Education Innovation Database, and while details of how it will be kept up-to-date are scant at the moment, it’s open to all members of the public and . All you need to do is follow this link to a PDF form which you’ll need to complete and return.

From the blurb:

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) is committed to accelerating the use of ICT in education as part of its strategy to improve teaching and learning in all schools. The GDE seeks to ensure that schooling in Gauteng benefits from new developments in technology and from other educational innovations that can enhance the delivery of quality education.

In order to keep abreast of new developments in educational technology and innovation the GDE has established an Education Innovation Database that will assist it to keep track of developments and to ensure that these are considered as part of its strategic planning.

It’s a pretty broad reaching remit but the highlight of the project, which is being led by provincial MEC for education Panyata Lesufi, is ‘Innovation Thursdays’. Lesufi says that every week, people on the list will be invited to a Shark Tank-esque pitching session where they can elaborate upon their ideas and get face-to-face time with department heads.

The first Innovation Thursday is planned for 31st July at the Sci-Bono Centre in Newtown Johannesburg – we’ll be heading over to see just how effective this plan can be.

As the department is at pains to stress, this is about ongoing research and strategic planning and giving the public a chance to have their voices and ideas heard – getting onto the register or being invited to present is by no means a guarantee of work or a future tender.

On the other hand, if you want to stop being an armchair pundit and actually offer up some good ideas it seems like a great opportunity to get involved.

advertisement

About Author

advertisement

Related News

advertisement