Memorandum from the Parliamentary Office

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR ORAL REPLY

QUESTION 56

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/03/2015

(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 06 OF 2015)

Mrs J D Kilian (ANC) to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training:

(1) Whether, with reference to the important role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and broadband roll-out as mentioned in the State of the Nation Address on 12 February 2015, as well as the National Development Plan’s focus on the need to expand and leverage ICTs for economic growth, his department has conducted an audit to determine which (a) public and (b) private universities and/or colleges are offering ICT degrees and diplomas or related qualifications; if not, why not; if so, which institutions are offering ICT-related qualifications; (2) whether his department identified a need for a dedicated ICT research and development university in the country; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether his department has conducted any research on successful interventions by other governments internationally to make huge strides in ICT skills development; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) whether his department has considered the establishment of a co-ordinating forum between the Departments of Higher Education and Training and Telecommunications and Postal Services to (a) conduct a needs assessment and (b) ensure integrated planning for ICT skills development; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (5) what additional steps will be implemented by his department to ensure equal access to knowledge and information in the post-school sector, in particular to bridge the digital gap between affluent student communities and students in institutions in rural disadvantaged areas?

NO740E

REPLY:

(1) (a) Yes, the following 16 universities offer Information and Communication Technology (ICT) degrees and diplomas or related qualifications:  Cape Peninsula University of Technology;  Central University of Technology;  Durban University of Technology;  ;  Nelson Mandela Metro University;  North West University;  ;  Tshwane University of Technology;  ;  University of the Free State;  University of ;  University of Kwazulu-Natal;  University of South Africa;  ;  Vaal University of Technology; and  . (b) The following 11 private higher education institutions offer degrees and diplomas in ICT:  Belgium Campus NPC;  Commerce and Computer College of South Africa (Pty) Ltd;  (Pty) Ltd;  Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management (Pty) Ltd;  Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd;  Midrand Graduate Institute; (Pty) Ltd t/a MGI;  Monash South Africa;  PC Training and Business College (Pty) Ltd;  Prestige Academy (Pty) Ltd;  CTU Training Solutions (Pty) Ltd and  CTI. (2) I have not considered the need for a dedicated ICT research and development university in the country. ICT programmes and qualifications are offered across a number of our universities and private higher education institutions at various levels and through various specialist fields. Universities offer a range of masters and doctorate qualifications and conduct research related to the field.

(3) My Department has not conducted any research relating to ICT skills development in other countries. Our university sector does, however, undertake research studies in the field and is actively engaged in leading the development of high level ICT skills for the country in line with international innovation and development. With respect to the use of ICTs within higher education to enhance teaching and learning strategies, my Department has developed a policy on Distance Education in South African Universities, and is undertaking work related to the development of open learning and distance education more broadly within the Post-School Education and Training System.

(4) My Department has not as yet considered establishing a co-ordinating forum with the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services. However, it works in close collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to ensure that our universities and research institutions have access to adequate ICT infrastructure. DST is responsible for the development of the South African Research and Education Network (SANReN) which provides the backbone for connectivity of our universities to the internet and global research networks. Through a collaborative agreement with DST, the DST provides the backbone and points of presence to SANReN and universities (with the support of the DHET) are responsible for the last mile connectivity and internal ICT infrastructure on all campuses. Specifically, my Department in partnership with DST, Higher Education South Africa (HESA) and Tertiary Education and Research Network (TENET), has supported the Rural Campuses Connectivity Project (RCCP), through which the last mile connectivity of all rural university campuses to the SANReN backbone is currently being built. This will ensure that all rural universities and campuses have effective band width. In addition to the RCCP, an audit of the ICT capacity of all university campuses is currently being undertaken. This will inform a wider ICT infrastructure plan across all campuses that will be rolled out over the next three to six years to ensure that the internal ICT infrastructure across all university campuses is updated and able to support new teaching and learning technologies, the effective utilisation of e-resources, ICT administration systems and other needs of 21st Century universities.

(5) My Department allocated an amount of R130.5 million from the infrastructure grant earmarked to improve ICT infrastructure across the university education system. Included in this amount is a grant of R71 million which has been allocated to roll out phase II of the RCCP. This will ensure that the remaining rural campuses not yet connected to SANReN, are indeed connected as soon as possible. A number of rural universities and campuses have already benefited from Phase 1 of this project to which my Department contributed R28 million. Going forward, ICT infrastructure improvement across the system will be supported through further infrastructure grants which will be allocated in line with the overall ICT infrastructure plan that will be developed during 2015, on the basis of the ICT survey which my Department is undertaking.

The compulsory Life Orientation fundamental subject in the National Certificate (Vocational) programmes offered at all public colleges located in both urban and rural areas consist of learning areas/outputs focused on developing student’s ICT related skills in the following areas:  Microsoft Package (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and MS Outlook);  Internet;  social media; and  blogs