Illustration by Siya Masuku for Rising Voices

Isifikile ngaleli hlobo i-inthanethi esikoleni sikahulumeni saseSoweto, Emseni Primary School. Sekudlule iminyaka engu-31 lesi sikole singanayo i-inthanethi ephephile futhi ethembekile. Lesi yisigameko esingokomlando uma sikhumbula ukuthi lesi sikole sabantu abanyama sinabafundi abangu-500. Othisa kade befundisa ngesiZulu futhi bafundise ngesiNgisi uma bethanda.

Njengombhali wezincwadi zesiZulu okholelwa ekuphakamiseni izilimi zendabuko, ngenze ucwaningo mayelana nenkinga ye-inthanethi ebhekene nesikole, sasEmseni. Ngacela ukubamba imihlangano nothisha besikole ngenhloso yokwazi isimo sokuxhumana phakathi kwesikole noMnyango wezeMfundo, abamele isiGungu esiphethe isikole (abameli babazali nezingane zesikole), kanye nomphathi wesikole okunguyena onolwazi olubanzi nge-inthanethi esikoleni.

Kubalulekile ukuthi ngisho ukuthi lolu cwaningo lwenziwe ngaphambi kokuthi i-inthanethi ifakwe esikoleni. Lapho ngihlangana nesikole ngithole ulwazi ngezinselele zothisha nabafundi basemalokishini eNingizimu-Afrika ngenxa yokungabi ne-inthanethi ephephile futhi ethembekile. Nembala isifikile i-inthanethi kodwa le ngxoxo isabalulekile. Nginethemba ukuthi ukuletha lolu lwazi engiluthole kothisha besikole lungakhuthaza nabanye ukuze bayithole indlela engcono nokuxhumaniswa ne-inthanethi. Ngiyacabanga futhi ukuthi othisha nabafundi basEmseni bazozuza imininingwane ebalulekile ngezilimi zabo zendabuko. Lokhu kuyinto enhle ngoba lesi sikole asikaze sibe nawo umtapo wolwazi ne-inthanethi ephephile soloko sasungulwa ngo-1972.

Lolu cwaningo lungibonise ukuthi othisha kanye noMnyango wezeMfundo abasebenzisani kahle. Okunye ukuthi uMnyango wezeMfundo awuzigcini izethembiso zabo kothisha abansundu. Ngisho lapho kukhona othisha besimame abayishumi nesishiyakalolunye (19), kanye nabesilisa abathathu (3) kuphela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMnyango wezeMfundo wanika lesi sikole amalaputhopu ayisithupha (6) kuphela kanye nefayibha ye-inthanethi engasetshenziswa ngokwanele. Ngaphambi kokuthi ngikhiphe eminye imininingwane, mangiqale ngokubhala ngomlando wami kanye nikukhula kwami  eSoweto.

Ukungatholakali kahle kwe-inthanethi kumphakathi waseSoweto

Igama elithi “Soweto” liyisifinyezo  “se-South Western Townships”. Leli gama laqanjwa ngama -1930s nguhulumeni wobandlululo owawubusa eNingizimu Afrika. Leli lokishi elikhuli lihlanganisa amalokishi amancane angamashumi amathathu nambili (32). Kulezi nsuku inani labantu baseSoweto lingaphezulu kwesigidi (1,2m). Abantu abamyama baseSoweto bangamaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalombili (98%). Izilimi ezikhulunya khona yisiZulu (37,1%), isiSuthu (15,5%), isiTswana (12,9%), neSitsonga (8,9%). Ezinye izilimi zinhlanganisa u-25,7%. Ngonyaka ka-2019, mhla zingu-17 kuNhlaba, i-Telkom yaqala umkhankaso wokufaka i-inthanethi ephelele ezikoleni zonke zaseNingizimu Afrika. I-Orlando West High School kwaba yisikole sokuqala ngqa eSoweto esakuthola i-inthanethi engenamkhawulo. Umphathi omkhulu we-Telkom, uSipho Maseko, owayekhona mhla kuxhunywa i-inthanethi, wathi  i-Telkom ihlose ukuthi abantu baseNingizimu Afrika bayithole i-inthanethi esheshayo futhi esezingeni eliphezulu. Uma abantu abaningi benayo i-inthanethi, idatha ngeke ibize imali eningi.  “Our focus is to ensure that many South Africans are connected to quality and fast internet. With more people connected, the less the data will cost.”

Abangane ebengikhula nabo eSoweto babekhuluma izilimi ezehlukahlukene. Abanye babephuma emakhaya ahluphekayo, abanye bephuma emakhaya acebile. Ngabona lapho ukuthi isimo sasekhaya asikho sibi kangako ngoba nathi abazali bethu babekwazi ukusifaka ezikoleni zasemadolobheni. Ngikhumbula izinsuku lapho ngihamba nomama owayenguthisha Emseni Primary School.  Ngabona lapho ukuthi kukhona umehluko ongemuhle ngokwakhiwa kwezikole zasemadolobheni nezasemalokishini. Noma kunjalo ngabufunda ubuntu Emseni ngokwakha ubudlelwano obuqotho nabasebenzi futhi nabafundi besikole.

U-Avani Singh we-ALT Advisory uthi umehluko phakathi kokuphathwa kwezikole zaselokishini nezikole zasedolobheni kubonisa ukuphathwa kwabafundi ngokungalingani. NgesiNigisi wakusho kanje: “Differences in access between urban, peri-urban and rural schools may also constitute unfair discrimination between learners”. Ngempela uma sibukisisa inani lezikole zaseSoweto lenza izikole ezingu-327: izikole zamabanga aphansi zingu-263. Kanti izikole zamabanga aphezulu zingu-64. Kucacile ukuthi lolu cwaningo lwami aluphelele ngoba ziningi izikole nothisha futhi nabafundi besiZulu engibashiyile. Kodwa lokhu kwenza i-Emseni kubeyisibonelo sesimo sezikole zaseSoweto namanye amalokishi eNingizimu-Afrika kulezi nsuku. 

USingh uthi izinkinga zezikole zasemalokishini ziningi. Kusitatimende sephephandaba lango-2020 uthe lezi zinkinga zibangwa ukwephulwa kwemigomo futhi nokungawenzi kahle umsebenzi ofanale ngabasebenzi bakahulumeni: “These include limited adherence to policies by state actors, a lack of coordination and inefficient implementation, poor infrastructure and inadequate facilities, a lack of adequate training and IT support for teachers, and an over-reliance on NGOs and private actors. The failure to reach these targets may constitute a violation of the right to education in South Africa’s Constitution and in international law.”

Ngaphezulu kwalokho, ukudingeka kwe-inthanethi namalaputhopu kwabeka othisha esimeni esingesihle emsebenzini. Ayikho enye indlela yokuthi basebenze ngaphandle kokuthi bazithengele idata ngezimali zabo. UMnyango wezeMfundo wabaxhasa ngomakhalekhukhwini namalaputhopu ayisithupha kuphela. Uma uthisha oyedwa osebenzisa umakhalekhukhwini wesikole ehlaselwa ukugula kumele ashiye komunye uthisha umakhalekhukhwini noma ilaputhopu. Lokhu kufaka abanye othisa engozinini yokuthola igciwane elinjenge “Corononavirus”. Okunye okunganakeki ukuthi uma uthisha eshiya umakhalekhukhwini noma ilaputhopu komunye esikoleni kumele kubenesiqinisekiso sokuthi loyo muntu uyakwazi ukunakekela imininingwane yesikole ebalulekile futhi eyimfihlo. “Kunzima,” kusho omunye wothisha, “Kumele ngithenge idatha ngemali yami ukuze ngibe khona emhlanganweni ku-Microsoft Teams. Amalaputhopu sesingawathola ngenhlanhla yeminikelo.”

Ngenkathi usesha ku-inthanethi kukhona ithekhnoloji engaqondakali futhi efihlekile ehamba  ithatha imininingwane yakho kumameyili, komakhalekhukhwini, ku-Facebook nakuWhatsAppp. Uma le mininingwane iba sezandleni zabathile ingenza imininingwane yakho eyimfihlo ibe sengozini. Lowo ngumlayezo ophuma kuwebhusayithi ye-DIY Online Safety: “While surfing the web, sophisticated technology is collecting data on you through email providers, mobile-phone apps, search engines, browsers, social-media messengers. In the hands of your abuser, this information could endanger your personal privacy, your control over your identity online and your access to free information.”

Inthatheli yethekhnoloji yephephandaba i-The Citizen, uFaizel Patel, wabhala ukuthi esikhathini esiningi sisengozini yokuhlaselwa ku-inthanethi: “Because we’re online daily and for long periods of time, the risks of being a victim of cyber-attack via the internet are increasing.” Lombono uwugcizelele ngamazwi kaPankaj Bhula, ongumnqondisi wekampani i-Africa at Check Point Software, echaza ukuthi igciwane le-Coronovirus selikhuphule isidingo sokusebenzisa ngokudlulele i-inthanethi. Ngakho kumele siqaphele ukuthi siyisebenzisa kanjani: “For this reason, it is important to know the dangers we are exposed to every time we perform tasks such as browsing sites or downloading an application, and to stay protected with a prevention-first stance to avoid putting our data at risk.”

Ngempela, izinto kagesi ziyingxenye ebalulekile kulabo abazisebenzisayo. Izimfihlo zethu sesazinikela emshinini. Ngenkathi umuntu echofoza imniningwane yomsebenzi eyimfihlo, ilaputhopu iyayibamba futhi iyigcine. Lapho omunye umuntu ongathembakali eyithola leyo laputhopu, kungenzeka ayisebenzise leyo mininingwane ngendlela engalungile. “Ngonobhala kuphela abanemvume yokugcina amalaputhopu. Imihlangano idinga ukuthi sihlanganele kulaputhopu eyodwa kodwa kuyenzeka sibeyisithupha ngesikhathi esisodwa,” Kusho omunye wothisha.

Yini elandelayo?

Kuningi engikufundile kulolu cwaningo. Nginesiqinisekiso sokuthi kuzoba noshintsho olukhulu Emseni Primary School emuva kokufika kwe-inthanethi. Umsebenzi wothisha uzokwenzeka kangcono futhi bazokwazi ukuthola loko okudingekayo abazokwazi ukukudlulisela kubafundi njengokufunda  kabanzi ngesiZulu nezinye izilimi zendabuko.

Yize noma abafundi bengakwazi ukungena ku-inthanethi okwamanje, ngicabanga ukuthi othisha bazokwelula ukuxhumana kwabo ngokusebenzisa i-inthanethi futhi babambe iqhaza ekuthuthukisweni kwezilimi zomdabu ku-inthanethi. Kodwa-ke, ukufinyelela ku-intanethi kuphela akwanele, kukhona izinkinga ezihambisana nalezi zinguquko okumele zibhekisiswe. Ngokwesibonelo, othisha bazolutholaphi ulwazi lokusebenzisa i-inthanethi ngendlela ephephile? Yini eyokwenzeka uma bengayitholi imininingwane engesiZulu? Bangaya kubani ukuyofuna usizo?

Nansi imibono yami engiyiphakamisayo ukuze lezi zinselele zalolu cwaningo zixazululeke:

• UMnyango wezeMfundo kumele uqhubeke nokwenza imimhlangano e-online yokufundisa othisha ngamalungelo abo ku-inthanethi.
• Isikole sesingathola iwebhusayithi ephakamisa ubuhle base-Emseni Primary School kanye nomlando obalulekile wesikole. Othisha nabafunda kanye nabaxhasi bangayithola yonke imininingwane ehlangene nesikole kuleyo webhusayithi.
• Kubalulekile ukuthi uMnyango wezeMfundo uqinisekise ukuthi uthisha ngamunye uthola umakhalekhukhwini nelaputhopu.
• Uma uthisha egula, ngeke kube nesidingo sokuthi umakhalekhukhwini nelaputhopu yakhe zidluliselwe kwabanye othisha. Lokhu kuzobasiza othisha ukuthi bavikeleke uma kunegciwane elifana ne-Coronavirus.
• Futhi sikhona isidingo sokuthi othisha nababhali bakhuphule izinga lokubhala izindaba ngezilimi zendabuko ku-inthanethi.

Ukufunda ngesiZulu kanye nezinye izilimi zendabuko kumele kube yinto ejwayelekile. Kumele lezi zindaba ziphinde zitholakale nasezincwadini zabafundi. Kubalulekile ukuthi kube khona indawo yokugcina lonke lolu lwazi, umtapo wolwazi noma indlu ehlala izincwadi. Othisha kumele basekele abafundi ukuze bakwazi ukuzitika ngokubhala nokufunda ngezincwadi kanye ne-inthanethi ngokukhululeka.

Kukhona ucwaningo elingubufakazi bokuthi izilimi zendabuko yizo kanye ezibalulekile kubafundi abasemabangeni aphansi. U-Jessica Ball we-Global Partnership for Education wabhala wathi, “Learners whose primary language is not the language of instruction in school are more likely to drop out of school or fail in early grades”. Ngempela akulungile ukuthi abafundi abasemabangeni aphansi bangafundiswa ngolimi lwabo lwasekhaya. Lokho kuyilungelo lwabafunda. Othisha nabomMnyango wezeMfundo kumele bahlalisane bayibukisise le ndada ngokushesha nokukhulu ukucophelela.

Ukungabikhona kwe-inthanethi ephephile futhi ethembekile ezikoleni zasemalokishini kucindezela ikusasa labafunda abasebancane. Ngaphezulu kwalokho kuthunaza intuthuko yezilimi zendabuko ku-inthanethi. Izingqalasizinda ze-inthaneti aziphelelanga uma zingezi nolwazi lokusebenzisa i-inthanethi ngendlela ephepheli. Abafundi bezikole zasemalokishini bathembele kothisha nakubasebenzi bomMnyango wezeMfundo ukuthi basebenzisane. Ngisho nalabo abakwazi ukuxhasa izikole zasemalokishini ngemali sebenethuba elihle lokwenza umehluko omkhulu ezimpilweni zentsha.

Ukuqala kwami lolu cwaningo lokuhlola ukungabikho kwe-inthanethi ephephile futhi ethembekile esikoleni, Emseni Primary School, ngangingacabangi ukuthi le nkinga iyolunga ngokushesha. Senginesiqinisekiso sokuthi sekuyisikhathi sokuthi wonke umuntu abhekisise ukubaluleka kolwazi lokusebenzisa i-inthanethi ngendlela ephephile. Futhi kumele esikhathini samanje kugcizelelwe ukubaluleka kokuthi abafundi nothisha bathole ulwazi olubhalwe ngesiZulu .

Abafundi bezikole zasemalokishi banelungelo lokuthola imfundo efanele njengabafundi bezikole zasemadolobheni. Ngabe uyavuma ukuthi abafundi besiZulu bakulungele ukufunda ngolimi lwabo futhi baluthole luphelele ku-inthanethi?

Mangibonge othisha nabasebezni besikole ngokungethemba nokuzinikela kwabo kulolu cwaningo. Ngibonga futhi amalunga we-Rising Voices ngokungixhasa ngolwazi namathulusi afenele ngesikhathi sokwenza lolu cwaningo.