MEC M Qwase to launch e-mails and digital magic pen solution

27 Sep 2010

A pilot project by Vodacom South Africa aimed at ensuring that the Eastern Cape department curbs travelling costs and time of Education Development Officers (EDO)in getting information the fastest way from schools using a 'Magic Pen' is gaining momentum as every provincial district is now trained to use this facility.

Tomorrow, the 28th of September 2010 the Eastern Cape MEC, the honourable Mahlubandile Qwase will officially launch the implementation phase of this pilot project at the Mbizana district at 12h30. Although to date almost all the districts have received the training which will ensure that less paperwork is used and no information is misplaced. Primarily, the pen will also assist in reducing human error in data capturing as it will focus on two aspects for now and those being the educator attendance and weekly leave forms.

Amongst the advantages of using this pen is that it will ensure that the required information reach the right hands at the required times and that any statistical information will be gathered easily.

The training that the provincial district officers have received will in identifying problematic earlier and quicker, while it will also improve on turn-around times in submitting information.

Vodacom has identified the Eastern Cape Province as the place to pilot this project with an aim of rolling it over nationally based on its success. This project is the first of its kind to be used in the education sector and apart from the fact that Vodacom is the sole investor and the department is not billed.

The first batch of 40 pens with their gadgets will be distributed and utilised for the first time to collect and transfer information that would be used by the provincial office. Each of the 40 magic pens cost R4 000 but will be given to the departmental officials for free. The programme of the event is as follows:

Venue: Mbizana district office
Time: 12h30
Date: 28 September 2010

The first of the three phases will serve as proof of the device's functionality and to determine if it is working according to design specifications. This phase is being piloted in the lowest performing districts which are Qumbu, Cofimvaba, Butterworth, Mbizana and Fort Beaufort.

If success is achieved in phase one, further phases can be rolled out to other education districts and can include monitoring of learners as well.

Features of the pen are as follows:

• It is a pen-like digital device with a cap
• It has a battery
• It has four coloured lights on it
• Red: Battery very low
• Yellow: charged less than 50%
• Green: fully charged
• Blue: connected to bluetooth

The pen cap

• When on, it is deactivated
• When off, it is activated
• It has an infrared camera
• It has a charger 
• It has a memory of 40 A4 pages
• It has ink refills
• It has bluetooth
• The pen vibrates when activated

NB: Members of the media are especially urged to join us for this important and timely event.

For any queries please contact:
Mtima Malibongwe
Cell: 082 088 4599 or 084 842 7872

Source: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government

Issued by: Eastern Cape Education
27 Sep 2010