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Children from Cosmo City West Primary School promised to preserve the newly-opened science laboratory, which was made possible by the company, SC Johnson.
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The laboratory was officially opened during the ceremonial handover on 12 May at the school. The company’s director of human resources, Thabiso Sehunoe said the project was one of their social cooperative investment programmes where they identify partners who require assistance from rural and township schools.
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SC Johnson felt obliged to contribute to the school given the crisis in the education sector currently experienced by township and rural schools in the country.
This is their holistic programme which focuses on improving infrastructure at the schools, provide resources, teacher training and assessments.
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The SC Johnson strategy of establishing state-of-the-art science and mathematics laboratories attends to this crisis and ensures that in the coming years, the projects will give children access to the resources needed and produce children who have been educated to a level that allows them to reach their full potential.
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Sehunoe said the laboratory will influence children to explore science and make informed decisions while they are still young.
“South Africa faces a challenge of producing low numbers of students who want to study science and mathematics at universities. We felt a need to help increase the number through these projects,” he said.
He explained that last year they donated a similar laboratory at Lethabong Secondary School in Pretoria. “We will continue to identify schools which were previously disadvantaged and do similar partnerships,” he said.
The school’s governing body member, Patrick Koikoi said the laboratory would improve the education of schoolchildren while simultaneously exposing them to science and mathematics.
“This is part of what we need to empower and groom our children,” he said.
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He thanked the company for giving the school the laboratory and the teachers and staff members for the phenomenal job they were doing.
“Grooming a child is not an easy job. The school principal, teachers and parents are all involved in education here. This company has done a great deed for us,” he concluded.
Related articles:
Cosmo City Junior primary gets ready for 2016
SABC Science Road Show in Cosmo City
Details: 011 380 3804.