Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 29-07-2018

The City of Johannesburg Library and Information Services (LIS) Department has collaborated with Google SA to provide free online-training in digital and entrepreneurial skills programmes in 12 of its eLearning Classrooms situated in libraries across the City.

The courses’ content will be accessed by registering “for free” to be a student at the centres via an e-learning portal: “COJ-ELEARNING” – or online via www.cojelearning.org.za (where students can access the content beyond library operational hours).

The programmes will be self-paced, done in groups or individually with the support of trained facilitators in the eClassroom facilities.

Member of Mayoral Committee for Community Development Nonhlanhla Sifumba say the department greatly embraces this opportunity.

“It will be a game changer to the narrative of how the communities acknowledge the changing role of libraries in modern societies across the globe. As a City, we welcome the collaboration as it will improve skills in our youth, particularly youth from the previously forgotten communities.”

According to Statistics SA, the City of Johannesburg has a population of around 4.9 million people. The growing concern, however, has been its ability to create a sustainable future for its citizens. The City currently has a 25% unemployment rate, of which 31.4% is youth between the ages of 16 and 35.

Sifumba says in order for the City to tackle the evil twins of unemployment and poverty, the City needs to implement programmes that target the youth to ensure that they are equipped with tools that are relevant for today’s society which will go a long way in contributing towards the priority of growing the economy of the City to 5% by 2021.

Twitter: @FaizelPatel143