Neotel, in partnership with the Department of Communications (DOC), Gauteng Department of Education and Huawei, recently announced the winners of the IgniteIT ICT schools competition.

This saw three Gauteng schools – Kingsway Secondary School, Phomolong Secondary School and Willowmoore High School – walk away with R200 000 worth of prizes, including an ICT laboratory and e-class solutions with interactive boards, projectors, LCD screens, routers and related equipment, sponsored by Huawei.

According to Huawei regional corporate communications manager Annette Mutuku, the IgniteIT ICT competition aims to develop and encourage ICT skills among girls, and break down barriers that prevent women from entering a predominantly male industry.

According to recent statistics provided by the Institute of Information Technology Professionals VP and director Moira de Roche, women comprise 55% of the total South African workforce, but only 20% of the ICT workforce.

Mutuku explains the competition required learners to use ICT to find a solution for challenges faced in their communities. “It was interesting how many learners chose road-safety as their focus,” she says. The winning entry by Kingsway Secondary School was titled: “A trans media story-telling report on distracted driving”. Mutuku says the ideas showcased by the students needed to be practical and possible to implement.