Department of Education Extranet

Department Launch Cyberlabs

The Northern Cape Department of Education is pleased to be launching one of our innovations in an effort to modernise our education system and provide solutions towards being responsive to the demands of the fourth industrial revolution.

Today, the MEC for Education, Mr Zolile Monakali officially opened the Cyberlab at Noupoort Combined School, which is part of ten (10) Cyberlabs the Northern Cape Department of Education has delivered to the Province, in our quest of harnessing and sharpening the knowledge, skills and competencies, required by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

These Cyberlabs are unique as they house four zones which represent the economic drivers of our Province, namely, Mining, Agriculture, Astronomy and Solar Energy. Learners will be able to navigate various dimensions of each of these zones, via giant multi-touch high resolution screens, watch 3D animations, take virtual tours and engage with interactive content and simulations, giving them continues career guidance and stimulation for innovation and life-long learning.

Cyberlabs are spaces designed for learners providing them with explorative hardware and software which are exciting and meaningful. The Cyberlabs also houses augmented reality posters, digital tablets and virtual reality headsets which enables learners to create and participate in a learning environment with a sense of presence.

It has the power to turn abstract concepts into visual and experiential learning experiences without learners having to leave the Cyberlab. The software engages the senses and allows experiential learning that would be difficult to duplicate within the confines of a normal classroom.

It should mentioned that the software the Cyberlabs are equipped with, completely functions offline, meaning that educators and learners will have access to all electronic learning material without any data or internet access requirements. All 10 Cyberlabs are operating completely offline at a zero data cost to the Department.

The MEC during his address highlighted that: “It is also my observation that these rich imaginative Cyberlabs do not only provide a space for academic learning, but also fosters interactive collaborative learning where teachers and children depend and trust one another, whilst finding solutions to problems.

Besides also developing key competencies such as a sense of precision, accuracy and efficiency during these collaborative learning experiences, the labs provide for the promotion of co-operation, teamwork, respect and patience, which you will agree are important life-skills in every aspect of life.”

The possibilities are endless. The Cyberlabs promises engaging and immersive learning experiences. We will continue to engage with our stakeholders to pursue similar initiatives in order to realise the vision of a modern, growing and successful Province.

End.