Kings Harvest Academy, the future of rural schooling?

A group of highly dedicated teachers wanted to make a difference in a rural community through education, so they started a school.

For the last two-and-a-half years, the Mandela Education Programme has been watching Kings Harvest Academy, near Ixopo in KwaZulu-Natal, grow with the support of local farmers and the local community.

The Mandela Education Programme’s involvement began with providing some books for the school library, but now the school has been given a Mandela Digital Learning Project online learning platform, donated by the Sage Foundation and the joBerg2c mountain bike race.

This is a significant opportunity, since having the relevant technology means children’s circumstances and location have less bearing on their access to quality education and to the tools to augment the learning process.

The Mandela Digital Learning Project’s online platform allows children direct access to content and support material from Grade R to university, irrespective of whether they are in New York City or Ixopo.

The platform runs on Android mobile phones and tablets, and on personal computers. The online platform offers digital tools to help teaching and learning through content aligned with South Africa’s national curriculum assessment policy statements (CAPS) curriculum.

The platform offers digital classes in all subjects, access to a digital research and library system, a library of documentary videos and access to teaching and learning tools for advanced programme Mathematics and Science. Teachers and pupils also have access to tools that can track progress towards learning objectives.

This rural school has affordable boarding facilities and offers an exceptional education in a rural setting.