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Before the pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa had big plans for the fourth industrial revolution in the country, improving people’s lives through technology. But the blockade has shown how far South Africa is compared to other countries.
JOHANNESBURG – Six months have passed since the shutdown began and the nation is taking stock, including education experts who are expressing concerns about the system’s ability to withstand shocks like this.
Before the pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa had big plans for the fourth industrial revolution in the country, improving people’s lives through technology.
But the blockade has shown how far South Africa is compared to other countries.
When the lockdown came, the big plan was to bring learning online – there were zero-grade apps and a full suite of TV and radio shows for students to keep up with, but the realities of South Africa were a major barrier.
Education specialist professor Mary Metcalfe said the pandemic had been a real wake-up call.
“This is something that remains an aspiration, not a reality. Very few people have access to a home computer and wifi that they can afford and that’s reliable. “
When it comes to higher education, Professor Ahmed Bawa, Executive Director of Universities South Africa, shared the same concern, but said there was hope through partnerships with potential sponsors.
“The shift to emergency online learning went well at some universities, but it just couldn’t be implemented at other institutions. That is an issue we have to address immediately. “
Meanwhile, experts hope the industry will learn from the mistakes made during the lockdown and use the next few months to correct and improve.
Meanwhile, economist Iraj Abedian said the six months had hit the country’s economy and little had been done to protect it.
“Every day that we don’t come up with a credible change strategy, we see a few thousand jobs lost and small businesses go under.”
On the business front, Worldwide Works Managing Director Arthur Goldstuck said that many companies used this time to transform and survive in an ever-changing digital world.
“What the crisis has shown us is how dramatic the digital divide is and the impact it has on the population and the economy.”
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