The Durban University of Technology’s Gender Forum recently held the Cell C Take a Girl Child to work initiative at the Hotel School Conference Centre, Ritson Campus.

The annual event was attended by various stakeholders including teachers from the invited schools, the DUT Gender forum executive members, some of DUT’s postgraduate students and lecturers from some of the departments at DUT.

The DUT Gender Forum invited 30 girls from Eastbury Secondary, Bonela Secondary school and Sastri College. However, Bonela Secondary could not attend due to exams. Addressing the pupils and their teachers, DUT Gender Forum Chairperson, Dr Rosaline Govender said that the Gender Forum had partnered with CellC Take a Girl Child to work so that they can expose young girls to the academic programmes offered at DUT. She also highlighted that their aim as the DUT Gender Forum was to invite 30 young ladies who are doing grade 9 so that they can encourage them to also look into studying for careers where women are underrepresented and scarce skills. 

“Our target is Grade 9 pupils because that is the time they start making decisions about which career they can go into. We also want to show them the experience of the University life. We encourage the DUT staff to contribute towards this initiative and we have sponsorships from various people. We would like to thank them for their donations,” said Dr Govender.

Further alluding to the importance of seizing the opportunity of making the right career choice during was DUT’s Retail Business Management’s PhD candidate, Paballo Ntobaki. Ntobaki urged students to pay attention to what is being said to them during presentation and empower themselves. “You have to be grateful that you are one of the few pupils who are able to get such information at your disposal,” she said.

Eastbury Secondary’s Tasleem Mahmood – misa said she was privileged to have a chance to not only be at DUT but to witness what goes on in a University of Technology. “I feel privileged that I had a chance to witness the work being done at a University. I thank DUT for this great opportunity,” she said.

Some of the presentations that took place were from the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, there was also a tour of the Health Sciences and a science show which was conducted by Professor Megandhren Govender which gave the learners a chance to see how exciting science is.

After the event the pupils were given food vouchers, toiletries and stationery.

Pictured: DUT Gender Forum team and some of the pupils that attended the event.

Nomkhuleko Thutshini