Four township schools in Atteridgeville are taking a leap into the future of learning. For the first time, they now have the kind of tools that can turn chalk-and-talk lessons into digital, interactive classrooms.
At the heart of this transformation is technology. Huawei South Africa has donated IdeaHub intelligent collaboration all-in-one devices to each school, sleek, intelligent screens that allow a teacher to project a science experiment in real time, pull up 3D diagrams at a touch, or connect learners to online resources far beyond the walls of their classroom.
In schools where resources have been stretched thin, the IdeaHub makes abstract concepts visible and learning far more collaborative.
Alongside the IdeaHubs, Huawei also donated 100 Power-M energy storage systems to support schools, clinics and households in vulnerable communities. These compact units have the capacity to combine solar generation, battery storage and automatic switchover, ensuring that when outages occur, lessons don’t stop mid-experiment, and lights stay on in labs that were built to spark curiosity.
The donation was made as part of the Department of Electricity and Energy’s (DEE) School Science Lab Handover Programme, hosted at the alma mater of DEE Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. For learners this means, power in classrooms, labs fully equipped, and the chance to experience science in ways that build confidence and open doors to careers in technology and innovation.
“These are investments in partnership, and in the belief that every child deserves access to the digital age,” says Charles Cheng, deputy CEO of Huawei South Africa. “With the IdeaHub and Power-M, schools can continue learning even during outages, and learners can discover science in ways that prepare them to lead South Africa into the future.”
Investing in STEM, building appetite for science
Access to reliable power and modern facilities remains uneven across South Africa, with many schools struggling to provide learners with the same opportunities available in more resourced areas. The new labs, coupled with Huawei’s IdeaHub and Power-M technologies, aim to close that gap, ensuring that teaching can continue seamlessly and learners can engage with science in practical, meaningful ways.
According to Minister Ramokgopa, investing in future science leaders offers a long-term solution to current and foreseeable challenges. “We are investing a lot in the STEM subjects because these are the frontiers of the future. They are the ones that are going to underpin our economic growth. It is important that we bring the infrastructure to communities that never had access. It bolsters their appetite into this field of study and increases their prospects of success.”
The link between infrastructure and education outcomes is clear. Through bringing modern labs and dependable energy into these township schools, the programme aims to give learners a fairer chance to succeed.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauili says the initiative shows how the right investments can shift prospects for young people. “A lack of foundational infrastructure in schools, particularly in the sciences and technology, holds back many young people from fully participating in our evolving economy. That is why we support and welcome this partnership between Huawei and the Department of Electricity and Energy.”
Ms Modiba, the principal of Hofmeyr Secondary School, says the new facilities are already shifting how learners and teachers experience science. “The laboratory has proven to be extremely handy for the school, supporting both Life Science and Physical Science. The teachers are already putting the IdeaHub into good use and the learners are excited about the technology.
“We are positioning ourselves as a strong STEM school,” she adds. “The new laboratory and technology are expected to encourage more learners to pursue mathematics instead of mathematical literacy, which is one of our biggest wishes as a school. We believe this will strengthen our learners’ future opportunities in STEM fields.”
The impact goes far beyond the devices themselves, says Cheng. “It is about how they change daily classroom life, a learner conducting a first chemistry experiment in a proper lab; a teacher projecting diagrams on an IdeaHub instead of sketching them on a chalkboard; pupils continuing with class even when the power cuts out.”
The School Science Lab Handover Programme, with other DEE partners, including NECSA (South African Nuclear Energy Corporation), shows how technology, energy and education can work together to create opportunity.
As Cheng tells learners: “You are not just the future; you are the present. Use these tools. Question the world. Dream big. The digital era is yours to lead.”