MTN Business connects teachers

MTN South Africa has been named as one of the preferred suppliers to the Teacher Laptop Initiative (TLI) which has been announced by the Department of Basic Education (DoBE) in Pretoria today (11 December).

The project, managed by the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and various stakeholders with a keen interest in this education initiative, aims to equip the approximately 360 000 teachers in South Africa with laptops in an effort to improve the overall quality of education in the country’s public schools.

As a preferred supplier in this exciting project, MTN Business has put its full corporate weight behind the initiative, which it feels will go a long way towards giving teachers the necessary resources they need to be more effective in the classroom.

“MTN Business is providing the connectivity bridge that will enable teachers to fully participate in the information economy. This ranges from Web hosted services to, even more critically, the ability to enhance the learning experience through Web-based research,” says Nkululeko Magadla, the head of business channels at MTN South Africa.

“By providing the data cards for the TLI, our efforts will focus on improving productivity and expanding the cost efficiencies as this project rolls out. We have a preferred hardware vendor and financier, to create affordable packages for the teachers. These include the laptop, data card, and network connectivity. A data TopUp option is available to assist teachers with managing connectivity costs and avoid unwelcome bill surprises,” comments Magadla.

The special offerings that MTN Business has put together are exclusive to the TLI and only available to certified teachers. As a customer-focused organisation, MTN will make the experience for teachers as easy as possible to empower them with the tools they need to make the learning experience as rich as possible for students.

“With our vast network footprint, which covers almost 99% of the country, and our proven track record in providing quality and seamless telecommunications and ISP services to both Government and corporate South Africa, we are in strong position to assist the DoBE in meeting its specific requirements and goals with the TLI project.”

Additionally, MTN Business is leveraging the experience of providing connectivity to rural areas of the MTN SA Foundation in this TLI project.

“MTN Business, together with the MTN SA Foundation, are proud partners in the TLI project and we are looking forward to making a real difference in the classroom. Giving our children a quality education will equip them for life, as they embark on their journey into adulthood. This is the least we can all do,” concludes Magadla.