The introduction of technology into education was not a silver bullet for improving education outcomes and the 19th-century style of teaching and learning needs to be adapted as technology is gradually incorporated into South African classrooms. This was the message coming out of the Decolonised 21st Century Education Conference in Johannesburg on Friday. Panelists said technology needed to be coupled with an adapted curriculum, political will and trained teachers to facilitate learning that solved local problems. The Gauteng department of basic education has launched an initiative to build smart schools that incorporate the latest technology in their infrastructure. This involves the introduction of computers, science equipment, renewable energy and upgraded sports facilities. World Wide Worx founder Arthur Goldstuck said the current curriculum did not support an environment for pupils to immerse themselves in new technology. Teachers still hold a monopoly over knowledge and studen...

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