Computers

Currently the government of South Africa is allowing schools to apply for computer donations. I thought this was great. After all, how many schools out here are without any sort of modern technology? I constantly see the village schools falling further and further behind the town schools as a result of lack of resources, many times technological ones. Thus, when my principal asked me to print off the application form for her, I was happy to oblige and excited about how interested she was in obtaining computers for her school.

Last time I was in town I printed the form for her, and while perusing it, I found a part of it that particularly troubled me. The following is part of the requirements concerned with submitting the form:

1. THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION FORM
a. SCHOOL PASSING RATE
b. AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS PRESCRIBED IN THE EDUCATION POLICY
c. PROOF OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY OR PROOF OF APPLICATION
d. PROOF OF TELEPHONIC CONNECTION OR PROOF THAT IT WILL BE SUPPLIED
e. SECURITY MEASURE TO THE PREMISES

Now the part that I found so discouraging was measure d “Proof of telephonic connection or proof that it will be supplied.” I didn’t think this requirement necessary as you don’t need phone lines to learn to use a computer, only to have access to the internet. As the children here have never had computer training, they are by no means ready to jump into the internet in the first place. In addition, there is no way that the school could afford an internet connection regardless.

Perhaps the reason this made me so disappointed with the government initiative was the fact that rural schools need materials such as computers to progress but very few rural schools have access to telephone connections. In most rural areas there are not landlines installed. This effectively means that the government was offering computer donations to places with already more technological access, town schools, which often already have computers.

Now I understand that there are many urban and semi-urban areas in this country that are experiencing a great lack of assets, but often they have more access, understanding, and resources to obtain materials for their schools. Shouldn’t the point of an initiative such as this be to push failing schools farther forward instead of holding them behind? Why is it that so often that when we’re trying to do good for others, we inversely cause more negative consequences?

In the end, we’re still going to apply for the computers. My principal will attach a note stating why we don’t have a telephone connection and why we don’t need one to have computers benefit the school. I doubt that this will be effective, but we can always hope.