South Africa is still ranked 136 out of 205 countries in the world in terms of the amount of people 15 and older that can read. This unnerving statistic does not necessarily mean that the South African government does not make an effort to mitigate the consequences of mediocre literacy rates. The problem comes into play when we use obsolete techniques to counter the effects of mediocre education. More alternative forms of education are an imperative for a more prosperous South Africa. 

We can use the power of technology to solve real world problems, like inadequate education. Technology fills the chasms in our current flawed system. It allows for more flexibility in learning and teaching, and by doing so, creates a platform for students to achieve a level of unprecedented creativity and proficiency. To aid this viewpoint I will use an actual and apt example of applications in education.

 EduTree

Edutree is a resource intensive application that helps students in their attempt to conquer the Matric syllabus. Resources include, videos, revision material, and past papers.

 The Advantages

Allows users to work at their own pace.

Makes revision more seamless.

Gives students the ability to discern their deeply rooted problems in each topic of study.

Videos can be replayed.

Eases the burden of painstakingly searching for appropriate past papers.

 Limitations

Not all users have access to internet

Some users have low levels of computer literacy  

 A common misconception is that one single standing application can be an all-encompassing solution. However, we need to make a concerted effort to weed out all the limitations mentioned above. For example, including sufficient computer classes in primary and tertiary institutions. Education is not only the government’s problem - it is our problem too.

Contribution submitted by Qaasim Ganey, 1448483.

References:

Gillingham, A. 2012. Future of South Africa Depends on Education. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2012/11/26/future-of-south-africa-depends-on-education. [Accessed 8 May 2016].