Portable study desks help hospitalised children keep up with school in Gauteng

From a single moment to a wider drive

The initiative began after Professor Jeané Cloete, head of the paediatric and child health clinical unit at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, saw a young girl using a portable MiDesk to do homework while waiting for treatment. That observation prompted outreach to MiDesk Global and an assessment of paediatric wards at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, which found children often relied on makeshift surfaces for learning.

What hospital staff found

According to the assessment, teaching in wards frequently took place on bedside tables, beds or small improvised surfaces. Talita Boodhram, chief impact officer at MiDesk Global, said:

“What we found highlighted a major gap. While hospitals are designed for medical care, they are often not equipped to support children academically during extended stays. In many wards, there is very little dedicated space for learning. Teaching often happens on bedside tables, beds, or small makeshift surfaces.”

How the desks are intended to help

The portable MiDesks are described as lightweight, foldable, and fitted with wheels, allowing them to be moved to bedside tables and stored away when medical staff need space during treatment or emergencies. Professor Cloete said:

“MiDesks create a proper workspace where children can sit comfortably and focus on their schoolwork while they recover.”

Voices behind the project

Speaking at the official handover event at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Boodhram highlighted the double challenge hospitalised children face: fighting illness and trying not to fall behind in education. She said:

“When children are hospitalised for extended periods, they are not only fighting illness but also fighting falling behind in their education.”

Aida Bakri, founder of ADS Insight, said:

“We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, regardless of their circumstances,”

and added that having a proper workspace can restore routine, comfort and hope for a child during a difficult time.

Classroom continuity in wards

Teachers at the hospital school in Pretoria are already using the MiDesks with young patients. Miss Geldenhuys, a teacher at the hospital school in Pretoria, works with young patients using the portable desks so lessons can continue while children receive treatment in paediatric wards. For children spending long periods in hospital, maintaining a connection to school and routine is an important part of emotional stability during treatment.

Distribution

The desks will be distributed to paediatric wards across Gauteng and North West, where hospital staff believe they will help children continue lessons during extended periods of treatment.