13 August 2005 On Saturday, August 13th, hundreds of children, teachers, parents, and Ubuntu staff literally took the Sivulile Computer Initiative in their hands and transformed it This was the arrival of the Ubuntu-tuXlab Project, a partnership with the Shuttleworth Foundation. In one day, our communities converted 10 existing Sivulile centres to Ubuntu-tuXlabs and built two new labs from the ground up. Despite cold windy weather, by 8AM Ubuntu's office in Zwide Township was packed with almost 400 people. Top District and Provincial officials of the Eastern Cape made their way to 5 QeQe Street and three radio stations and two newspapers covered the proceedings.

This was a day in the true spirit of ubuntu. After the opening ceremony, each of the schools installed its new computer lab. The work was done by teachers, parents and learners as young as Grade 2 led by experts from the Shuttleworth Foundation. They cut and connected wires, opened computers, and became empowered with new skills.

One parent beamed, "My fears of computers are gone. I have never touched a computer before and here I am actually helping to set up the lab!" It was truly a remarkable and moving experience.

Ubuntu-tuXlabs are a major upgrade of our existing centres. Each school added 5 work stations and a powerful server with curriculum software supported by the Department of Education. Benefits of the new systems include central management of software, easy replacement of broken hardware, and a lowered cost of ownership. A 20-computer Ubuntu-tuXlab is $6,000 as opposed to $23,000 for our old model.

Within 3 hours, all 13 schools had fully operational computer centres. At the close of the celebration at Ubuntu headquarters, Jana Zindell, Sivulile Director, spoke of a vision for the future. "In Xhosa, there is an idiomatic expression Ungadinwa nangomso - We should not be tired to do the same tomorrow. This has been an incredible day, but we must look at it as a rebirth of our centres. We are moving toward a future where we can close the digital divide. The labs will bring more educational programmes, an integrated curriculum supported by the Department of Education and the reality of more computer time per learner. This is really the beginning of a new era of technology education in our communities."

Back to News & Events