Abstract:

The right to basic education has been globally recognized as a fundamental human right. This right is therefore satisfied by having access to quality education in a safe school environment for all children. South Africa is obligated to the right of basic education for all learners irrespective of their backgrounds and has therefore progressed remarkably in education attainment as compared to other emerging countries. However, decades into democracy the country still battles with dire consequences of the apartheid system, with the country’s education system experiencing inequalities in educational outcomes, quality education, academic performance, and school conditions/environments between ethnic groups. In addition, the quality of basic education remains very low especially for the Black African population. Although this may be the case, there is still hope for the education system to be improved. The integration of technology in education can bring about this hope. Information Communication Technology (ICT) has the ability to increase access to education and improve its relevance and quality. The study provides insight on ways technology can be utilized to improve the quality of education for the benefit of the learners, educators and government and to foster continuous academic excellence and learning. Thus, the study aims to provide a review on how technology can be integrated in education to improve the quality of education and address the inequalities in education between ethnic groups in South Africa. The study followed a conceptual research approach by reviewing primary literature and conducting a thematic synthesis of the findings. ICT is found to reduce the workload of teachers, help students understand and retain concepts better, enhance the learning process to be more interactive rather than passive, more access to education with no geographical limitations due to distance learning.

Keywords:

Education System, ICT, Inequality, Quality Education, Technology.