The evolution of Information Communication Technology (ICT) with new forms of communication technologies that has enabled communication has positively impacted delivery of services by the Eastern Cape Education Department.

This ICT which has resulted in the new forms of communication technologies such as e-mails, video-conferencing, communicating through social networking websites has made communication easy even in this department.  This could be attributed to the committed shown by the department to ensure that it conforms to modern communication forms while dealing with its internal and external stakeholders and partnering with the public and private sector.

According to the Deputy Chief Education Specialist (DCES) Information Communication Technology (ICT) MfanawethuCele, not all employees have access to ICT in the Department. “Communication channels are not properly used as the system needs to be integrated. There are so many things that can be improved including the use of the departmental website,” said Mfanawethu Cele.

He added that at least electronic notice boards and departmental emails have recently improved as both are constantly utilised to communicate internally with employees. ‘This was made possible by the fact that these employees were given laptops in the beginning of this year’.

Communication’s Administration Clerk in the Website Content Management Unit, Cheer-Adee Robinson believes that although the department has joined the train, more marketing of what the website offers is needed. According to her, this needs to be done to address many challenges that the section is facing when it comes to limited usage of this tool. “We have a blog where employees can post their opinions on anything relating to work but that blog is not utilised properly because people are constantly on the website for tenders and vacancies,” added Robinson.

The Department also has a Facebook page and Twitter account where all events are captured as they happen. “As the Communication Services Directorate, we attend Departmental events where we capture the event as it happens through videos and write stories that are uploadedconstantly on our webpage, Facebook page and twitter account.  Despite that, you still find that employees of the Department are not even liking or following the page,” she concluded.