On Monday, 5 December 2022, the Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela will introduce a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) digital learning skills programme. 

Ntombela’s spokesperson, Palesa Chubisi, says the 4IR Program is a six-month programme offered by the University of Johannesburg.

"The programme is expected to enable the beneficiaries to become independent, confident and able to sharpen their usage of technology in the digital economy of the province and the country," she adds.

The handover will be done at the Senzile Secondary School in Hertzogville, where most of the beneficiaries are expected to be from surrounding towns in the Tokologo Local Municipality, including towns such as Boshof and Dealesville. 

This will be done in partnership with the Education, Training and Development Practices Seta (Sector Education and Training Authority).

ALSO READ: 4IR could be answer to SA’s economic woes

In 2019, a professor at the North-West University’s Accounting Science department, Thys Swanepoel, said 4IR will give access to education and information that can improve the lives of billions of people, falling in line with South Africa’s own 2030 plan to alleviate poverty.

"4IR will give us access to products we’ve never had access to before, it will open entirely new markets to us, creating trade opportunities and chances to learn," he said. Swanepoel mentioned that drones, which have already transformed service delivery, can be used to even fight crime in South Africa. 

OFM News