Core Group, the exclusive distributor of Apple products in South Africa, has launched an educational initiative aimed at shrinking the digital divide.

Core’s iSchoolAfrica iGnite programme is a three year initiative which sees the company taking Apple technology to school children via mobile classroom labs.

The mobile labs consist of 10 MacBook computers, loaded with a variety of multimedia and learning applications. Teachers will also receive a Macbook. In addition to the computers each lab will provide ten Canon digital cameras, five projectors, and a wireless router.

The objective of the programme is to familiarise as many school children as possible with computers, specifically Apple technology. Teachers will also receive the necessary training to educate pupils as part of the programme.

Core is currently in the first phase of the initiative, which involves the piloting of the programme to a number of schools (13), and is supposed to serve as a proof of concept. Phase two of the project will involve the roll-out of mobile labs across as many schools as possible which Core hopes will be funded through a number of public-private partnerships.