Datacentrix, a leading provider of high performing and secure ICT solutions, has donated 20 laptops and carry bags to Coselelani Secondary School, in support of the Gqeberha-based institute’s vision to provide learners from grade 8 with basic skills in CAT (Computer Applications Technology) and Information Communication Technology (ICT).
These skills will help to prepare pupils for future advancements in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), explains Coselelani Principal, Langa Tshangana.
Coselelani Secondary School, established in 1995 and currently serving 980 learners, was faced with the significant challenge of a high dropout rate over several years. In response, the school initiated a skills-based curriculum in 2019 to ensure that it could also cater for learners with academic challenges, who possess valuable trade skills. This curriculum, known as the Technical Occupational Curriculum (TOC), includes subjects such as woodwork, computer technology, arts and craft, agriculture and landscaping, office administration, and sewing and baking.
Since the introduction of the two-stream curriculum, the dropout rate at the school has been reduced by an incredible 90 percent, according to Tshangana.
“Coselelani has achieved its best results thus far over the past handful of years, with a 100 percent matric pass rate in 2019, 91.3 percent in 2022, and a 96 percent pass rate in the second term of 2024. We continue to strive for academic excellence and closing the underperformance gap, as well as additional strategic objectives including encouraging self-development and promoting innovation.”
Encouraging technological proficiency
The laptops provided by Datacentrix will play an important role in Coselelani Secondary School’s ability to offer both ICT and CAT as subjects, with a view towards equipping learners who may lack access at home with essential computer skills.
Tshangana expresses his gratitude for the contribution from Datacentrix, stating, “This donation from Datacentrix is a testament to our shared vision that ‘no child is left behind’. With these laptops, we can offer all our learners – both those excelling academically and those thriving in skills-based education – the tools they need to succeed in the digital age.”
Says Ben de Klerk, Regional Manager, Eastern Cape at Datacentrix “Datacentrix is dedicated to supporting projects that make a tangible difference for our country; supporting educational initiatives in particular is close to our hearts. By helping to empower the students of Coselelani Secondary School, we are investing in the future of our nation’s youth, ensuring they are well-equipped to contribute to the rapidly evolving technological landscape.”