CAPE TOWN - A unique partnership of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and German education institutions to develop critical ICT and entrepreneurship skills in South Africa and Africa was launched on Wednesday.

The CPUT in partnership with SAP and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) launched the erp4schools programme, making the CPUT the first institution in the country and Africa to run the programme.

The erp4schools programme was initially developed in Germany around a new teaching approach used by vocational schools, community colleges, and other industry training institutions with a focus on business and economics, the CPUT said in a statement.

The launch at the CPUT's Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant in Granger Bay was attended by, among others, German Ambassador Dieter Haller and science and technology department Deputy Director General for Human Capital and Knowledge Systems Dr Molapo Qhobela.

Qhobela attended in his capacity as a member of the Council for Higher Education (CHE) and represented Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, who had supported this project from inception.

"With the launch of the programme at CPUT, we take this successful approach to Africa in order to build the capacity of universities, schools, learners and teachers in Africa," the CPUT said.

The project would increase the capacity for teaching accounting and entrepreneurship on the continent and would add to critical ICT skills development in Africa.

CPUT Vice Chancellor Professor Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga said: "We at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology are proud members of the SAP University Alliances and consider it an honour to establish the Academic Competence Centre to host and promote the erp4schools programme outreach, training and capacity building at universities and colleges in Africa.

"Particularly as this project gives credence to our institutional vision 'to be at the heart of technology education and innovation in Africa'," he said.