In a bid to ensure that students at the Durban University of Technology have access to technology, the University is currently distributing android tablet devices to all students who qualify for the allowance.

To date, a total of 980 students in the University’s Midlands Centre, Pietermaritzburg, have received the Atlas Lite tablet devices, with the distribution to 2554 students in the Durban Centre set to finish on Friday this week (12 June 2015). In total, 3534 tablet devices will be distributed to students at the University.

The rollout of the mobile devices to students is part of a pilot project – requested by the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Ahmed Bawa – where the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds qualifying students with an additional R1500 for the purchase of a NSFAS approved tablet device. The pilot project, which is being run at DUT, is also part of NSFAS’s new student-centred online system where allowances for food, accommodation, books and transport are paid in the form of sBux vouchers sent to students’ cellphones. Students can spend their sBux vouchers at registered sBux merchants.

The Atlas Lite tablet devices feature a 7.0 inch LCD screen, WiFi hotspot/tethering, rear-facing 5.0MP auto focus and front facing 2.0MP camera, 8GB ROM and 1GB RAM memory, GPS and a one year warranty.

Feedback from students receiving the devices has been positive, with many saying they are excited to receive the mobile devices.

– Sinegugu Ndlovu

Pictured: Elated DUT students just minutes after receiving their brand new tablet devices which will assist them on their studies.