Local schools get technical equipment

These guests included Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, Deputy Ministers of Public Enterprises and of Communications Bulelani Magwanise and Stella Ndabeni Abrahams.

The purpose of these visits to Tsakane Secondary School and the Mamellong Comprehensive School was to officially launch a Telematics System and hand over technical equipment and machinery in an effort to strengthen learner performance.

At Tsakane Secondary School where festivities kicked off, there was the launch of the Telematics System which is an interactive digital learning platform, where Grade Eight to Twelve learners will sit for Maths and Science tutorials and revisions.

This will be done through a virtual classroom (Telematics) on weekdays.

The learners will also be taught by tutors from the University of Stellenbosch while the learning support system will enable them to ask questions and interact with the tutors in real time through the video feedback system.

“The delivery launch of the Telematics System at Tsakane Secondary is in remembrance of its former pupil, anti-apartheid activist, Mzwakhe Ngomane.

“The Mzwakhe Ngomane Legacy Trust is an advocacy trust meant to encourage learners around the East Rand to focus on the education.

“Ngomane is a former teacher and anti-apartheid activist from Tsakane,” explained local government official Ndlozi Shongwe.

Government officials then moved to Mamellong Comprehensive School where equipment handed over included various technical work spaces such as electrical and welding machines and a woodwork working space where learners will be taught furniture manufacturing skills.

This machinery will ensure that Mamellong becomes a real technical school, with workshops to train learners in the different technical and mechanical engineering fields.

MEC Panyaza Lesufi in his address spoke on how innovation must start in the classroom.

“We need to make education fashionable and then learners will stop roaming around the streets.

“If school is fun our children won’t want to rush home or to the streets.

“And for them to start learning be creators of products, they must start by being innovative and participating more in school,” said Lesufi.

He added that one school of specialisation has been open in Soweto while next year the Gauteng Department of Education is planning to open over 27 of them open across the province.

These schools will focus on both theory and practical learning required in various fields of learning.

The learners were also motivated by some of young people who have been awarded bursaries or learnerships to further their studies by various companies and departments who were present.

While on the outside learners had an opportunity to visit stalls where they could get information about the companies and furthering their studies.

“We have come together to make this possible as learners were dropping technical subjects in our schools due to lack of facilities.

“Some of the schools also had little number of girls taking technical subjects, so we hope this will encourage them to go for these.

“Thank you for all the business and departments that have partnered with us,” says ward councillor Desmond Buitendacht.