CENTURION - Education expert Hendrick Makaneta says Minister of Education Siviwe Gwaruba should be applauded for the public-private partnership initiative that introduced wheelie school bags called MiDesk.
Gwarube faced a social media backlash for endorsing foldable plastic desks donated by McDonald's to grade one pupils.
READ | MiDesk saga | Education dept slammed over marketing gimmick
The MiDesk Global initiative provides foldable desks which double up as school bag and are also equipped with solar lights and USB charging ports
However, the desks were branded by corporates after being donated to primary school learners.
Makaneta argues that this was a 'visionary' move towards transforming the educational landscape, particularly for pupils in rural schools who have been historically marginalised.