Computer Workshops for Teachers

Last week we started a new stage of developments at ACJ Phakade Primary School. This was in the form of a new computer workshops program with the teachers...and it has received a fantastic response!

Now with all GVI projects, one of the main aims is to be working on improving the skills and capabilities of our project partners so that they are better able to address their own needs. In this case, by running these new computer workshops we are boosting the teachers’ skills so that they can be more efficient and effective with their day to day tasks. As a result, this will in turn translate to a better standard of teaching for the students at the school.

The basics of Word, Powerpoint, Excel and editing pictures are skills that may often be taken as a given for many in today’s internet-driven and technically savvy developed countries. But for those in the townships of South Africa, access to computers at all is not easily found. The school have a fair number of computers at their disposal, but unfortunately they are not being utilised to their full potential. These workshops are designed to try and change this.

At first, I was not entirely sure how the teachers would take up the opportunity for these after-school classes. I knew they were keen, but I wasn’t expecting almost 30 teachers to sign themselves up within the first two days! And since we have started, with an almost perfect attendance so far, it has been really great to see the enthusiasm from the teachers. They really do understand and appreciate that having some basic computer skills could make their working lives that much easier.

This project has been spear-headed by one of our Community Development Interns, Holly Hunter. Without her drive and fantastic efforts, it may not have been half as successful as it has. So thank you Holly!

Jim Bacon – Project Manager, Gordon’s Bay

Computer Workshops for Teachers