Newspaper clipping – iol online – 9 June 2009

One teacher, one laptop

Government plans to make sure that by 2012 every teacher ahs access to a laptop computer and the Internet, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday.

Replying to debate on his State of the Nation address, Zuma said the project would be phased in over two years, starting next month. It would “bring our educators into the 21st century”, he said.
            “I am sure that this will contribute immensely towards motivating our educators to improve the standard of learning and teaching in our schools.”

Responding to DA criticism that his State of the Nation address had not said enough about HIV and Aids, Zuma said he had expressed his concern over the deterioration in the quality of health care – aggravated by the steady increase in the burden of disease in the past decade and a half.
            “The Aids epidemic is among the conditions chiefly responsible for the latter,” he said. “Government is firmly committed to the full implementation of the Aids plan, which offers a comprehensive response to this grave epidemic.”

But he stressed the plan’s targets were not government’s alone.
            “They were set together with our social partners after extensive consultation. The targets require a properly functioning public health care system to which all our people have access.
            “That is why we have emphasized our plans to construct and rehabilitate public health care facilities, improve management and other systems, and address with urgency the working conditions and remuneration of health professionals.”

This included finalizing the Occupational Specific Dispensation pay-deal.