Tablet tech free for kids

09 July 2013 - 02:30 By Philani Nombembe
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A young boy shows his parents an image on a digital tablet
A young boy shows his parents an image on a digital tablet
Image: René Mansi/Getty Images

The Western Cape government is planning to tap into children's hunger for technology by giving them tablet computers.

Premier Helen Zille revealed her government's plans at the launch of a teacher training programme in Mitchells Plain yesterday.

This week more than 9000 grade 7, 9 and 12 teachers will undergo training in the third phase of the programme, which is to be implemented next year. They are being trained on pace of teaching, curriculum coverage and pupil assessment.

"Technology has become a very important component of education," said Zille.

"We have succeeded in getting a computer lab into every school in Western Cape - now we are looking at introducing telematics."

Pupils will be able to download subject content and work out where they should be in the curriculum.

Zille said the provision of the tablet computers "will be costly but worth every cent".

Western Cape's education budget for 2013-2014 is R15.6 billion.

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