A very successful educational ICT Expo was held in Klerksdorp in North West Province on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th February 2011.

The ICT Expo was the initiative of a public-private partnership between the ICT Directorate of North West Education Department and ADESSA (Associated Distributors of Educational Supplies in Southern Africa).

ADESSA represents over 40 companies that supply Education Departments and individual schools with educational software, hardware, interactive whiteboards, textbooks and a wide range of other educational resources for teaching and learning. In their quest to provide schools in North West Province with the necessary technological tools to enhance their educational environment, the NWED ICT Directorate approached ADESSA to assist them with this important task. As a consequence, a partnership was established and - after many months of preparation and working together - the educational ICT Expo took place.

The NWED-ADESSA ICT Expo was highly successful, with 600 delegates from the North West Education Department and from schools. On the first day, approximately 100 North West Education Department officials attended, including curriculum advisors, subject specialists and district officials. On the second day over 500 principals and teachers were there from schools throughout the province, many travelling very long distances to attend.

Being mainly a rural province, educators there do not have the same exposure to teaching and learning materials as their urban colleagues, and they were very excited to have this unique opportunity of being able to view so many teaching and learning resources under one roof. There were 20 ADESSA exhibitors there with a wide variety of ICT resources for all levels. They were not there to only exhibit these resources, but were also able to provide guidance to educators for the particular needs of their schools.

Over and above the exhibitions, there were a number of presentations of a high calibre, as the guest speakers were experts in their educational fields and the topics were of value to all educators. Mr Eric van Wyk (from Dr KK District in NWED) spoke on "Towards Creating Sustainable Learning Environments through ICT"; and Mr Clinton Walker (from the Khanya Project at WCED) presented the interesting topic "21st Century Skills for Teachers and Learners". Mrs Shirley Kaminer (CEO of ADESSA and former Deputy Principal and Educational I.T. Manager) presented her insights and experiences on "I.T. Change Management in Schools"; and Ms Joy Turyagenda (from North West University) gave a presentation on the topic "Where did we start? Where are we now and where will we be in our future?"

Mr Bruno Thejane, Acting Director: ICT Services (NWED) gave the welcome address and the Superintendent- General of North West Education Department, Mr Charles Mpopodi Raseala, made time in his very busy schedule to attend the ICT Expo and to address the delegates. Mrs Emily Sebolai (NWED Chief Education Specialist: e-Learning) was involved with a great deal of the preparations and arrangements for the ICT Expo, and worked closely with Mrs Shirley Kaminer, ADESSA CEO.

NWED emphasises the values of Excellence, Innovation, People and Communication, and has as its goal the provision of quality education and training. In this way they hope to fulfil the mission of a Portrait of Excellence in North West Province. ADESSA shares in this vision and fully supports the North West Education Department in achieving its aims.

This educational ICT Expo was therefore not an end in itself, but rather the favourable beginning of a long-term partnership between the ICT Directorate of the North West Education Department and ADESSA.

Some members of the ICT Expo organising committee: Bruno Thejane (Acting Director NWED ICT Directorate), Shirley Kaminer (ADESSA CEO), Emily Sebolai (Chief Education Specialist NWED e-Learning) and Dereck Marnewick (ADESSA Treasurer).