Thutong

This initiative uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) to foster communication between and among students and teachers in South Africa. Specifically, the portal provides access to a range of curriculum and learner support materials, professional development programmes for teachers, and administration and management resources for schools. It also provides education policy documents and general information related to the latest developments in the country’s educational system.

The portal is interactive and is meant to be open to everyone. Following a one-time registration process, users are entitled to the portal's free services - with priority given to disadvantaged and rural schools. The website features a searchable database of annotated web-based curriculum resources for various education sectors, grades, and learning areas. Those who use the portal can download curriculum materials, create their own materials and share them with others, and interact with their peers throughout the country and abroad.

Information sharing about education policy and news is another programme approach, facilitated through ICTs. Thutong "carries news supplied by provincial departments of education, official news providers and organisations involved in the education arena. Also available on the portal are updates and alerts on the latest portal services and functionality as well as live interaction between users and experts from the education community.” The sharing and discussing of this information is meant to support curriculum development and application: All educational content contained in the portal was cross-referenced against the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). The online resources and planned courses, modules, and workshops were designed to facilitate professional and lifelong learning.

Education.

According to organisers, “The content is highly relevant to the lives and learning contexts of South African learners, educators, education managers/administrators and parents. The portal aims to expand and become a representative of users’ interests and needs.”