Mitchell’s Plain High School in Portland, has launched a free online teaching programme on Moodle a free, open source learning platform.
Once parents have enrolled their children, it connects teachers, pupils, parents and the school governing body and can be accessed via desktop computer or cellphone.
Metro South Education District (MSED) director Granville Stander said the school, which shares premises with False Bay College Mitchell’s Plain campus and is surrounded by primary schools is positioned as a forerunner in aligning the information technology (IT) sector with education.
He said the school was leading the way in connecting pupils to the economy of the country and that during their school years they were able to learn and experience IT skills and coding which could help them move into a related career.
Circuit manager Faldiela Chotia said the national Covid-19 lockdown had required everyone to reflect, rethink and rebuild their lies.
She said pupils had already wrapped their minds around new technologies and how the digital world works and that a mindshift would have to happen among adults.
“Our children are digital natives and we are digital immigrants,” she said.
Principal Faiq Salie said teachers were a bit apprehensive to move to a digital platform but that a week before the lockdown they had begun to digitise information, which took about a month to complete.
“It has indeed been an innovative experience, which we would not have done without the help of sponsors and donors,” he said.
Mr Salie brought together members of the district, sponsors like Cell C and IT specialists like Greater Translogic Advisory Services and former head of e-Learning for the Western Cape Education Department Dr Osman Sadeck.