Bringing Digital Literacy to Township Children
The Atlas Digibus is a game changer for the children in Langa, Cape Town. Providing over 1300 students with vital education in maths, English, STEM, and digital literacy skills. The Atlas Digibus helps the children overcome the challenges present in an under-resourced education system, significantly improving assessment results, reducing dropout rates, and giving teachers new and engaging ways to teach.
Development Goals
Education
Employability
Equality
Situation
The South African education system has severe problems with many schools in the communities battling with overcrowded classrooms and a desperate lack of resources, causing many children to not get the education they deserve. On top of these challenges, children are taught in their mother tongue until grade 4, when they are then taught almost completely in English. This sadly pushes many children out of school, as they simply cannot understand the content, and inevitably fall behind. These factors mean schools in South Africa have an extremely low attainment rate, and research shows there is a staggering dropout rate of 45%, further fuelling the inter-generational poverty which many communities are unable to escape. Children are left with a feeling of helplessness and see no way to create a better life for them and their families.
Solution
The Atlas DigiBus is revolutionary for the children in Langa. Equipped with 37 laptops, the Atlas DigiBus provides essential teaching to over 1300 students every week, across five primary schools in Langa, Cape Town. The children are given the essential help they need to cope with the transition to learning in English, as well as learning vital maths, STEM, and digital literacy skills. The children are taught in an engaging way compared to classroom teaching, helping to make lessons enjoyable, so the children better understand the content. These lessons help the children learn how to communicate effectively, as well as critically think and problem solve, giving them the crucial skills required by employers, allowing them a better chance to have a career of their choice.
Testimonials
“The bus has made a big difference in the students’ lives, and I am getting great feedback from the teachers. The teachers always look so happy when they are going to the bus.”
“We now really understand the importance of the bus and we would never turn the bus away because we see the value it is adding to the learner’s lives.”
“I’m enjoying myself on the bus. When I’m in the bus, I feel excited because it helps us with our homework when we need to research.”
- Give children in Langa access to better education so they can break the cycle of inter-generational poverty.
- Help children in Langa cope with the transition to learning in English, to reduce dropout rates.
- Give children in Langa access to computers and technology, so they are digitally literate and have the essentials skills needed to gain employment.
Any donations made towards the South Africa DigiBus go towards the upkeep and maintenance of the Bus to keep it running.
Impact
Education
The Atlas Digibus has had significant benefits for the students, with 100% of the children gaining digital literacy skills, increases in maths and English skills across all the schools, and evident improvements in language and communication skills.
Employability
The pupils have been able to learn problem solving, teamwork, and communication skills through the coding program, which they are thoroughly enjoying! These skills are incredibly valuable, and are essential to gaining employment in our modern world, helping set the children up to for a successful career.
Equality
The DigiBus visits schools where little or no computing is available. By bringing vital digital skills to children who would not otherwise have been able to learn them is helping to close the inequality gap for those that live on or under the poverty line.