The minister of Education recently announced that an ICT course for Std IV classes would be run during the holidays. It is indeed a laudable initiative that we must all be proud of. However, the way it started in Zone 4 is really a matter of concern to all of us.

First, ICT teachers were called for an urgent meeting on Thursday 5th April at 1.30 p.m. Consent forms were to be issued on that same day. Parents were asked to return them the next day, that is the last day of the term.

A ministry that talks of World-Class Education had absolutely no planning for such a project. And the result was even worse. An average of 10 pupils out of a possible 40 turned up for the courses. There were only 15 computers available instead of the 20 initially decided upon. And most surprisingly, ICT teachers were not aware of the amount they would perceive as allowance for the course! It turned out to be a real mess although ICT teachers did their best as could be seen from the copybooks of the children.

After analyzing the situation, we can only ask ourselves if the ministry of Education really cares about the teaching and learning of ICT in our schools. Now, in many schools we hear that, as from the 2nd term, pupils will have new ICT teachers as many of them have left to take on the general purpose (GP) teacher job.

The ministry can permit itself to change ICT teachers throughout the year but what about the children? We must surely introduce a new subject at primary level and that would be adaptation!

Its quite obvious that ICT teachers are leaving the job as they are employed on a contract basis whereas the GP post offers job security. Five years earlier, there were no computers in schools.

Now, we have computers and computer labs. So, is it not high time to have permanent ICT teachers in schools ? And would this not solve the problem of on-going disturbance in the teaching and learning of ICT in our schools ?

Teachers of Std I are not willing to use ICT as a tool to teach other subjects. Does this mean that the ministry must give an allowance as eye-wash just to please the population that the work is being done ?

We just hope that instead of blaming the trade unions, the minister of Education & HR, the Finance minister, PRB, altogether find a solution for this problem as it is becoming simply unbearable for parents.

<B>IT Literate parents</B>