DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION (DBE)SCHOOLS’ CONNECTIVITY & BROADBAND PROGRESS REPORT

DBE-DTPS JOINT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE MEETING

12 September 2014

DBE – ICT PRESENTATION

• PURPOSE

To present a progress report to the joint portfolio Committees of DBE and DTPS on Broadband and Connectivity of schools.

THE PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Introduction• Background• Progress Made

– Phase 1: • FIFA World Cup Legacy Project• DBE Vodacom Initiative

– Phase 2: • Broadband Policy – SA Connects• License Obligations• DBE Connectivity Targets for 2014 – 2019• Conclusion

PROGRESS MADE PHASE 1

On 26 March 2012, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the Provincial Departments of Education (PDEs), the Department of Communication (DoC) and Telkom SA signed a Masters Services Agreement to provide connectivity to schools in the Proof of Concept Districts (POC) and selected Dinaledi schools. The funding of this project was secured from the 2010 Soccer World Cup Legacy Fund by the DOC for the implementation of Phase 1 of the Connectivity Plan for Schools.

Proof of Concept

PHASE1 - CONNECTIVITY INITIATIVES

• 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP LEGACY PROJEC:

1650 POC schools, including 125 Dinaledi schools have been connected;

1244 POC schools (excluding GP, WC school & Dinaledi schools) out 1250 earmarked for EUDs,

are in possession of their EUDs;

Audit of the project has been conducted and a report compiled and forwarded to Telkom and the

DTPS

• DBE – VODACOM FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIP

2013-14, - 31 Teacher Centres were connected and Resourced. This is in addition of the 9 ICT

resource centers in the POC districts;

2014-15, - 20 more Teacher Centers are expected to be connected and resourced

2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Project

• T

DBE – VODACOM TEACHER CENTRES INITIATIVE

Teacher CentresProvince Number of

centresICT Infrastructure Connectivity

Eastern Cape 8 Completed CompletedFree State 4 Completed CompletedGauteng 3 Completed CompletedKwa-Zulu Natal 4 Completed CompletedLimpopo 7 Completed CompletedMpumalanga 4 Completed CompletedNorthern Cape 3 Completed CompletedNorth West 4 Completed CompletedWestern Cape 2 Completed CompletedTotal 39

PROGRESS MADE PHASE 2

A. BROADBAND POLICY (SA CONNECTS)

• Tasks teams to action the Broadband Policy have been constituted under the leadership of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS)

• Provincial Broadband Consultative Meetings have taken place with all Provinces, except Mpumalanga (scheduled for 12 September 2014). The DBE has been actively involved in the visits.

• The 2014-2016 Business case, that includes the connectivity of about 4, 444 schools located in the 20 Km radius of the 698 National Health Insurance (NHI) pilots districts has been submitted to National Treasury by the DTPS.

• The DBE prepared and submitted to the DTPS, both, the User Requirements (Annexure B); for schools to be connected and the list of concerned schools.

• The Provincial Broadband Consultative meetings have revealed that:

–Provinces are at different phases of implementing the Broadband policy. –Provinces such as GP and Western are at advanced stage of implementation, therefore schools from these Provinces, located in the 20 Km of the NHI districts, were not included in the initial Business case (2014-2016) submitted to National Treasury in July 2014.

B. LICENSE OBLIGATIONS

• 2013-14, the DBE submitted a list of about 3200 schools to the DTPS to be connected through the Universal License Obligation imposed to the Licensees (Network Operators) by ICASA;

• Due to the outdated status of the Universal Service and Access License Obligations, ICASA amended the act which was published for public comment late last year (Annexure C). This process delayed the connectivity of the earmarked schools;

• Vodacom is reported to have gone ahead and connected about 333 schools but only 60 of

them were connected as per the Specifications submitted to ICASA by the DBE

• The DBE has provided ICASA with ICT Specifications for Special schools and their list therefore (about 400 special schools)

Rollout the Educational Network

Breakdown and numeric targets for schools connectivity for the next 5 years in line with National Broadband Policy

The Educational Network is currently under construction (dbecloud)

Activity 4: Rollout the Educational Network

Breakdown and numeric targets for schools connectivity for the next 5 years in line with National Broadband Policy

Activity 4: Rollout the Educational Network

Breakdown and numeric targets for schools connectivity for the next 5 years in line with National Broadband Policy

Website: www.education.gov.zaCall Centre: 0800 202 933 | callcentre@dbe.gov.za

Twitter: @DBE_SA | Facebook: DBE SA

Conclusion:

The Portfolio Committees note and discuss progress made in Broadband and School Connectivity.