PUPILS at rural schools lacking science laboratories have been given a huge helping hand by a concerned corporate.
In February 2013, Tronox KZN Sands launched a mobile science project at 12 high schools identified with the assistance of the traditional authorities of Somopho, Dube, Mkhwanazi, Ogagwini, Nzuza and Macambini.
This solved a serious problem as pupils in the senior grades would have had to write exams without the necessary exposure to experiments in their science syllabus.
‘The mobile science programme enables the teacher without a laboratory, to practice science to the full, including science experiments in a classroom situation,’ said Tronox KZN Sustainable Development Manager, Annalien Fouche.
‘The aim to improve the science marks, specifically in the senior grades of the schools.’
Pupils at Isinyabusi Technical School in the Macambini traditional authority excitedly commented that ‘it is now fun to do science. We never knew it could be so interesting, and we now understand so much better’.
The programme includes a fully equipped mobile table for the teacher, and smaller equipped science boxes for the learners, as well as specially developed manuals for teachers and learners fully aligned with the new CAP syllabus for science.
Other equipment such as microscopes, electrodynamics apparatus, ripple tanks, electricity kit (grade 10-12) with batteries are included in each package to assist with chemistry and physics learning.
‘Teachers received special product training on the use of the equipment in teaching.
‘The teacher’s guide provides detailed information on teaching, with special work sheets for the learners,’ said Fouche.
‘Science marks of grades 10 -12 are monitored by Tronox through feedback from the teacher, and some marks in the June exam have already improved, which is of great encouragement to both teachers and pupils.’
