The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) will launch its School of Software Engineering for secondary schools in the Free State tomorrow (25 April 2019).
The Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education in the Free State, Pule Herbert Isak Makgoe, will inaugurate the Free State SITA School of Software Engineering at Kopanong Secondary School at Turflaagte, Mangaung in Bloemfontein. SITA chairperson Zukile Nomvete and board of directors will also be in attendance.
In consultation with the Free State Department of Education, five schools have been chosen to pilot the SITA Schools of Software Engineering. Besides Kopanong Secondary, they are Thabo-Vuyo Secondary in Rouxville; Lekgarietse Secondary in Welkom; Rebatla-Thuto Secondary in Koppies; and Mohaladitwe Secondary in Makwane, QwaQwa.
The schools were chosen for their track record of academic excellence despite depressed socio-economic backgrounds, for their location (in five different district municipalities), and for the work ethic of learners, educators, governing bodies and parents.
As per the specifications agreed with the Free State government, SITA is providing 40 computers per laboratory, connectivity, a curriculum, mentors and technical resources for the programme.
The SITA School of Software Engineering will equip learners with software-development, coding and other ICT skills.
Graduates will either be offered scholarships for tertiary education in an ICT-related field, or given internships at SITA, or assisted in enterprise development to establish small, medium or micro-sized enterprises.