A KwaDabeka school is nurturing high hopes for its students – particularly those studying science – after a Pinetown company donated a fully-resourced laboratory to them.
The New Africa Education Foundation said in a recent statement that manufacturer and assembler of automotive air-conditioning and engine cooling components based in Pinetown-based Smiths Manufacturing invested in a “state of the art” science laboratory at Sithokozile Secondary School.
The high school was also the proud recipient of the latest CAPS-compliant physical science, natural science and technology resources together with a fully-resourced laboratory.
“It is envisaged that this will contribute to an improvement in the learner’s performance in science, technology, and engineering at school level so that more learners can pursue careers requiring these subjects at tertiary level which is essential to the economic growth of our country in future years.”
Last year, the company invested heavily on the infrastructure at the same school, and this year after careful deliberation by their corporate social investment committee, it was decided that the company would return to the school and provide the much-needed science resources.
“A good education is founded on the premise that the environment be conducive to the practice of learning. It should be able to make available to learners the infrastructure, facilities and resources necessary for learning. Sadly, in South Africa the legacy of our past does not always render this basic fundamental a reality. All too often we find that our country's schools – especially those serving the historically disadvantaged or today’s lower income groups – do not measure up,” said the company’s human resources director Paul Vermaak.
The school’s principal Raphael Mtheku said he believed the lab would help improve the performance of learners in those subjects.
“This will enable them to go on to university and ultimately begin careers in engineering and scientific fields. It is clear that by providing essential equipment in classrooms we can boost academic performance at schools. We are proud and grateful that Smiths Manufacturing has chosen Sithokozile Secondary School to be a part of this initiative” said Mtheku
The project was co-ordinated and managed by Ahmed Motala of the New Africa Education Foundation, an NPO that has partnered with the company and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to roll out projects at previously disadvantaged schools.