Innovative: Mobile Bus Comes to Langa Community To 'Enhance' Learners' Online Literacy
- A new teaching innovation has taken root and is making waves in the township of Langa
- Five primary schools will benefit from the 42-seater Atlas Digibus kitted with laptops and Wi-Fi access
- The programme is aimed at providing the schools in the area with additional academic resources
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Teaching will take a different turn for learners from five primary schools in Langa, Cape Town, thanks to a bus that has been transformed into a fully equipped mobile classroom.
According to GroundUp, the large vehicle has been transformed into a 42-seater digitally comprehensive environment complete with laptops and Wi-Fi access for learners to participate in online teaching programmes.
Source: UGC
Sponsored by Atlas Digibus, the mobile bus also comprises mounted televisions for an interactive learning experience within its two teaching stations.
The innovation appears to be a first of its kind in South Africa but comes as a welcomed addition to the sprawling urban township.
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Briefly News understands the project will employ up to five new staff members, including a qualified teacher who will offer learners the best academic support.
More than 1 000 learners impacted
The initiative is the brainchild of the Vusa Rugby and Learning Academy, which in addition to the new after-school programme, offers rugby support in Langa, following the successful launch of its tuk-tuk mobile library pilot project in April.
Cape Argus reported that the programme will reach more than 1 000 learners across the five schools, all of whom will now have access to advanced online literacy programmes before focusing on the transition to English learning from Grade 4.
Brendan Fogarty, the founder and director of the academy, said that the bus would visit each of the five schools for a full day between Monday and Friday.
Offering excellent academic support
However, during the school year, the Digibus will be parked at Bishops (an independent boys' school near Langa) and then stationed at a particular school for the duration of the school day.
"The programme will afford learners access to an exceptional academic network, using the expertise and materials from Bishops," said Fogarty.
"The learners [benefitting from the initiative] are taught in IsiXhosa until the end of Grade 3. They then transition into English teaching [in Grade 4], and that’s often where the language challenges begin."
Government unveils R255m state-of-the-art school, SA reacts to pics
In related news, Briefly News reported previously that KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala, Minister Senzo Mchunu and KZN Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu unveiled the Anton Lembede Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy School of Innovation and Leadership in Durban.
The government shared photos of the school on Twitter. According to tweets by journalist Nabeelah Shaikh, the school has 20 classrooms that can host 600 learners.
Briefly News learned the school has three science labs, a library, three computer labs and one specialist classroom. The government reportedly paid a whopping R255 million to build the modern school.
Source: Briefly News
