The Durban University of Technology (DUT) in collaboration with the Mahlabathini CMC recently concluded its Science Week from 24-28 June 2024. The event is supported under the Mahlabathini Schools Engagement Programme (MSEP) which was launched in 2020 and aims to help schools and learners within the Mahlabathini Circuit under the Zululand District by addressing the challenges faced by schools in this area in accessing quality education.
During the Science Week, the programme hosted workshops attended by 50 schools and involving 1700 Grade 12 learners. The workshops featured science experiments, and career guidance sessions, and provided educational materials crucial for enhancing educational outcomes and supporting tertiary education applications. The workshops were facilitated by staff and post-graduate students from the Chemistry Department, who demonstrated the science experiments that are prescribed in the chemistry and physical science Grade 12 CAPS curriculum. The Programme was also supported by staff from the Short Course Unit and the Faculty of Management Sciences who engaged teachers on the extended learning courses relevant to teachers offered by DUT.
Awande Zulu, a learner from Emkhombe High School, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the programme, “I am thrilled because, in our public schools, we usually don’t have access to science laboratories. This workshop provided me with many valuable experiences. I learned that before you start the experiments you must protect yourself from laboratory chemicals.”
Aneliswa Mtshali a learner from Ondini High School expressed her appreciation for the programme facilitators, saying, “I am happy with the way this workshop was conducted. The educators were very attentive and could see when we did not understand. They explained everything to us.”
The programme’s success is greatly upheld by the invaluable support and assistance of the programme team made up of staff and students from DUT and the Mahlabathini CMC. The team’s dedication and expertise play a pivotal role in advancing this initiative and achieving the goals set out for the programme. This collaborative effort between DUT and the Mahlabathini CMC underscores a commitment to improving educational access and outcomes for learners in rural communities, fostering academic growth and career development among young people in Mahlabathini.
Most of the students and staff who participated as facilitators in the programme reflected that their participation proved to be a fulfilling experience. “The programme helped learners from Mahlabathini gain insights into how different topics from their curriculum are conducted experimentally in the laboratory,” shared Carol Dlamini, a first-year Masters Student from the Chemistry Department.
Philasande Mlatha, also a Masters Student from the Chemistry Department who joined the programme for the first time as a facilitator, shared that her experience has deeply influenced her perspective ‘on paying it forward’. “Witnessing the learners expressions as they interacted with the burette was unforgettable. It reinforced my belief that practical applications significantly enhance the understanding of theoretical concepts already learned,” she said.
Philiswa Dlamini from the DUT’s Short Course Unit expressed her appreciation for being part of the support team. She said that it was an honour and a humbling experience to join the team and visit the schools at Mahlabathini for Science Week. “The programme is at the centre of our ENVISION2030 delivery, achieving the goal of engaging communities through positively influencing and providing solutions for societal problems. The project is in line with the University’s core business (education) and prepares and improves the laboratory readiness of Grade 12 learners for when they enter higher education. Also, it addresses a huge capacity gap, nationally, in the delivery of the Physical Science subject by the BEd teachers to public schools in townships and rural areas. It is heartwarming to see the potential that is shown by learners during the practicals and it is proof that their only limitation is the availability of resources,” she said. Ms Dlamini also shared that she was very proud of the meticulous and patient delivery of the practicals by the DUT post-graduate students and staff. The future is surely bright and is in the right hands.
Moving forward the team is looking at ways to support building capacity for the teachers to run the experiments assisting the schools with materials and equipment needed to conduct the practicals and making the science laboratories in schools more functional. As Xoliswa Cele, the Chief Education Specialist in the Mahlabathini CMC shared, “The schools do not have functional laboratories. It was for the first time that the learners experienced real-life laboratory materials and equipment. The whole set-up of the programme was excellent. We would appreciate the continuity of the programme for the improvement of the National Senior Certificate in Physical Sciences results in the CMC.”
Phumzile Xulu, the DUT’s Engagement Practitioner, expressed her appreciation to the programme team for its exceptional participation and contribution during the Science Week at Mahlabathini. She commended the team for its collaborative spirit and commitment and for showcasing its best capabilities and professionalism in the delivery of the programme. “The Stewardship displayed by our staff and students is phenomenal and is a testimony of how we have adopted the DUT’s Living Values and Principles and are living the ‘DUT Way’ and that all our engagements are truly creative, distinctive, and impactful,” she said.
Pictured: Learners from Mabhidla and Sibanisakhe High Schools with DUT facilitators during the practicals.
Phumeza Msongelwa/Phumzile Xulu
