THE Uitenhage-based Nelson Mandela Science & Technology Centre is one of the biggest of its kind in South Africa and one of the foremost educational hubs in the Eastern Cape Province.
Operated by the Mandela Bay Development Agency, it offers, among many other services and facilities, informal education on science and mathematics.
A total of 855 learners and 579 educators from 28 schools and colleges visited the centre between January and April 2018.
“The young minds passing through our facility, the majority of whom come from disadvantaged schools, gain valuable exposure and opportunities to interact with the real world of science and technology, thanks to partners such as Eskom,” said Singathwa Poswa, manager for programmes at the Nelson Mandela Science & Technology Centre.
The centre aims to be a comprehensive educational facility where experiential learning is presented in physics, chemistry and mathematics. By offering students classroom demonstrations in a chemistry and physics laboratory, experiencing science is brought to a unique level where the unknown becomes more familiar and less frightening.
A series of fact sheets on the value of electricity is displayed in a section of the 3 600 square metre exhibition area of the centre.
The display serves to illustrate to visitors the many levels of comfort and convenience electricity brings to our homes and places of work.
The take-out from the centre is clear: A simple flick of a switch floods a room with light; switching on appliances enables us to prepare a hot supper; pressing a power button on an electronic device allows us to work, to learn or to entertain ourselves.
One of the resources on display in the centre outlines Eskom’s educational material for Grade R to Grade 9 learners, including teacher guides and learner activity sheets based on the science and mathematics curricula.
“We thank the centre for its role as an educational hub in the Eastern Cape Province,” comments Eskom spokesperson Khulu Pasiwe.
- The centre is open on weekdays from 08:00 to 16:30. Detailed information is available at www.mbda.co.za
Eskom’s learner activity sheets and teacher guides for Grade R to Grade 9 can be downloaded for free at www.eskom.co.za/idm – click on the School Yard button.
– HEILIE COMBRINCK
