[Olpc-za] Small question !

[Jeff]

Lungi Siqebengu (LuW) wrote:

> Eastern Cape - can you, Jeff OR Ron elaborate more please on the  
> work that is being done.

It looks like Ron of eKhayaICT is making good headway linking the  
disparate groups working towards the same goal.

There are several ICT projects which have been working independently:  
namely VA32ûS (Volunteer Africa 32ûSouth), SELF (Solar Electric Light  
Fund), and the Uniforum/ISPA backed NetDay computer classrooms which  
are being implemented in the Coffee Bay - Hole in the Wall - Seaview  
region.

A WiFi network linking the schools to each other - effectively from  
Hole in the Wall up the coast to Coffee Bay, and up inland to  
Zithulele hospital (on a fortunate high-point in line of sight to  
Tafelahashi / Zwelenqaba) - is being rolled out in November. The aim  
is to provide internet and support services for the schools and  
medical care staff - as well as, ultimately (and hopefully), base  
station infrastructure for the XOs to link up over a large-ish area.

Various options are being investigated to cover the internet costs.  
The schools are able to pay about R500 per month each towards  
bandwidth... at the moment.

I mentioned Tafelahashi - but I don't really know what's happening  
there, except that we should be able to link via line of sight from  
there to Dwesa. The point is that a large WiFi hotspot with broadband  
internet will be available for the kids using the XOs - at whichever  
school/s is/are chosen for pilot... including the schools which have  
recently been computerized (near Dwesa) by the Rhodes / Fort Hare  
initiatives.

The biggest hurdle I think we're facing - and I hope you were  
speaking as euphemistically as I interpreted when you say "closer to  
Pretoria" - is to get government to open source the core curriculum  
for distribution via e-text. . . and to start seeing the XO as simply  
a more cost effective and durable textbook/jotter replacement -  
initially.

I'm just thinking aloud, really... I'd welcome some serious criticism  
and input here.

-- 
Jeff Brown
Website: www.wildcoast.com
Blog: www.wildcoast.com/jeff
Cell phone: +27-74-1015170

8< --
Do not believe in miracles -- rely on them.


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