Johannesburg — AN ASTONISHING 90% of Gauteng teachers expected to use computers in their classrooms have no experience in using a PC, companies involved in the ambitious Gauteng Online project have discovered.

Computer laboratories are being set up in each of Gauteng's 2500 schools at a cost of R500m, but success depends on how willing and able teachers are to incorporate technology into their lessons. Without training, the computers will be white elephants as nobody will have the skills or confidence to use them.

A consortium headed by computer manufacturer Mustek has begun training at 110 schools in Soweto and Sebokeng after winning a contract to install computers in those schools.

The consortium will then begin training at another 130 schools allocated to it in the second phase of the roll-out. Training for the Mustek consortium is being handled by Vukanikids, a black economic empowerment venture formed by the Youth Chamber of Commerce and Futurekids SA.

Vukanikids MD Gerry Tshitangano said this was a massive project as an average of 24 teachers had to be trained in each school. Fewer than 10% were computer literate.

Each teacher is being given 24 hours of training 16 hours in the classroom and eight hours of assignments. By the end they will understand operating systems, be competent to use Microsoft's Office suite and Excel spreadsheets, the internet and e-mail. The aim is to prepare teachers to use computers in their everyday lessons and to make their pupils computer literate.

After initial training the teachers will be assessed and the two most promising from each school will be given advanced tuition.