The Department of Higher Education delivers on its remote learning promise. Led by Minister Blade Nzimande the Department promised to take necessary precautions to avoid risking lives in this pandemic while ensuring that learning continues.

This included giving students remote learning equipment such as laptops and internet data. The main focus was on the students who come from disadvantaged communities and community colleges.

Working with the nertwork providers, the Department of Higher Education managed to roll out the free 10Gigs of data per student. Unfortunately there has been abuse of data by the students using it for non-educational material.

Minister Blade Nzimande warned students about this abuse of the system saying that it will delay their graduation.

The Department is engaging with nertwork providers in order to solve the nertwork challenges for students in the rural areas.

Laptops however have been given to the students. The rollout of laptops shows the Department’s willingness to support students through the remote learning program.

Clear and decisive leadership is something that the public of South Africa welcomes with open arms. The trust deficit between government and the public has widened during the lockdown.

Basic education is in the tag of war against teachers, parents and learners for reopening of schools despite the warning from the World Health Organization. Now to have a Department that is quietly going about their work and delivers as promised is refreshing.

Not everyone can be satisfied.

It may not be to the full satisfaction of some, but the effort and willingness is there. Minister Blade Nzimande has led a team of people who are forward thinkers.

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Compared to the millions of learners in the Basic education sector one might say it’s easy to plan and deliver services for the hudre of thousand students in the Higher Education sector. That argument doesn’t hold tight and it’s just a poor excuse. Mechanism for proper management are in place for both sectors to flourish.

The Devil lies in the execution of the plans, which in this case has been mastered by the Higher Education Department. No should we celebrate the Department for doing its job, but we should approve and give thumbs up where it’s due.