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GRAAFF-REINET NEWS & VIDEO - This year has been a challenging one for many, especially for teachers, who had to adapt to the new normal of teaching remotely.
Graaff-Reinet Primary quickly adapted and mastered the art of online teaching, and did the town proud when they were named winners of the Pendula ICT and Johann & Gaynor Rupert Foundation Inter-School Competition.
Their prize? A mobile computer lab worth R70 000, that consists of 20 tablets and a charging station.
"These tablets will be used in classes to enrich learner experience and to help them adapt to the new digital methods of teaching," the winning school said in a statement. School principal William Hector was overjoyed and thanked his school's teachers for their hard work and dedication. "This would not be possible without them," he said.
Hector made special mention of the school's leading digital trainers, teachers Yolandi Brunette and Caylin Marais.
Lettie de Klerk Primary School in Nieu-Bethesda earned second place, with a prize of R10 000 towards the school. Ryneveld Primary came third.
The competition required schools to demonstrate how they had adapted to online teaching, following 36 hours of teacher training.
Watch a video below:
According to Ben Bredenkamp of Pendula ICT, the aim of the competition was to encourage schools to master at least 10 blended learning teacher tools, the multiple Microsoft platforms, and to submit a video and presentation of how they had applied their new skills to the classroom.
"[Teaching during lockdown] is a transformational shift in education and necessitated teachers to be digitally literate and comfortable in teaching students remotely and online," said Bredenkamp, adding that the schools did not disappoint. "They truly mastered this challenge."
Due to the skill and confidence shown by the teachers, the Eastern Cape Department of Education has extended a Microsoft 365 for Education licence to include students from Graaff-Reinet schools.
"The establishment of computer learning environments enable students to master 21st-century learning skills and pursue 21st-century career paths," Bredenkamp concluded.
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