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iSchoolAfrica & iStore announced today that through a partnership with Siya Kolisi, the iSchoolAfrica iPad programme will be brought to Siya’s primary school in an Eastern Cape township. The iSchoolAfrica iPad programme includes the roll-out of a mobile iPad lab, curriculum apps, ongoing teacher training and the monitoring of results. The iSchoolAfrica programme at Emsengeni Primary School has been made possible through the commitment from Siya Kolisi, iStore and iSchoolAfrica.
 
“Rugby gave me hope growing up and I want to give the same to young South Africans by providing opportunities to help them find their passion and fulfil their potential. My journey began at this primary school and its why I want to start with changing lives here by introducing world-class technology like Apple iPad. My dream is to provide more opportunities for our youth to realise that whether they live in the suburbs or a township, they can be anyone they want to be,” explains Siya Kolisi on the partnership.
 
Since 2009, the iSchoolAfrica programme, has brought the best educational technology and classroom practices to more than 240 rural and township schools through the investment of corporate sponsors. iSchoolAfrica has a goal of improving teaching and learning and by partnership with Siya and iStore, aims to change the lives of learners at Emsengeni Primary School.
 
iSchoolAfrica will implement the iPad lab, which consists of 20 Apple iPads in a mobile carry case, which can be moved from classroom to classroom. The iPad lab is pre-loaded with apps aligned to the South African curriculum, has one plug point to charge all iPads simultaneously and can be locked away securely in the school safe.
 
iSchoolAfrica is more than just a handover of devices - it's about the effective use of the devices in the classroom for teaching and learning. An iSchoolAfrica facilitator has been appointed to train and work closely with the teachers to ensure the technology can be used effectively in the classroom. A teacher will also be selected to be an iSchoolAfrica champion and will receive ongoing training in order to support their colleagues and ensure sustainability of the programme. In addition to appointing an iSchoolAfrica champion, Siya will act as an ongoing mentor at the school and to the iSchoolAfrica programme.
 
“iSchoolAfrica celebrates 10 years of proven success this year and we are extremely proud to be in 240 schools, have trained 3000 teachers and have changed the lives of over 100, 000 learners,” says Michelle Lissoos, Director at iSchoolAfrica. We credit the impact and sustainability of iSchoolAfrica to our unique programme which not only offers the best tools for education but also ongoing curriculum support through teacher training and mentorship. She continues, “We are very excited to be working with a mentor like Siya and to partner with iStore again, to achieve the vision we all have to improve the futures of South African youth.”
 
This is the fourth school that iStore has invested in sponsoring through the iSchoolAfrica programme. iSchoolAfrica has many other well-known sponsors such as The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform , Exarro, Growthpoint  and more.
 
“Apple iPad is the chosen educational tool for schools around the world and iSchoolAfrica is a way for us to invest in a sustainable programme for under-resourced schools in South Africa. We are thrilled to co- invest with Siya in this project and have him support as a mentor. We encourage other sponsors and mentors wanting to make a difference to teaching and learning to invest in the future of young South Africans through iSchoolAfrica,” says Chris Dodd, iStore CEO.
 
The project will kick off at a ceremony on 7 August at the school where Siya and the iSchoolAfrica and iStore teams will hand over the iPad lab to the headmaster, teachers and learners.
 

Issued by iSchoolAfrica