Lack of resources especially for science remains one of the biggest challenges in providing quality education in township and rural schools in the Eastern Cape and throughout the country.
A mobile science laboratory donated by one of the big banks is seen as one of the ways that will ensure quality education at Sandisiwe Senior Secondary School in Mdantsane. The mobile lab which was handed over by the bank together with the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), has brought much delight to learners at the school.
One of the pupils fortunate enough to use the lab was Grade 12 leaner Athenkosi Moyikwa, who has been been fascinated by science since Grade 9.
“I was drawn into science, by its ability to expand my imagination. I can imagine things in my mind that other people cannot even think about. I am more fascinated by astronomy and all things to do with outer space,” said Moyikwa.
“The mobile lab will assist us in a really positive way, because the lab we had used was both a classroom and a laboratory. Another thing is that we did not have some of the chemicals we learnt about; we just had to imagine them and based our knowledge only on theory.”
Moyikwa dreams of studying medicine next year, and eventually becoming a cardiologist. He believes the lab will help him in motivating his dream.
Two Grade 12 learners, Anda Mkonjwa and Lisakhanya Nazo who were given a chance to test the lab, were jubilant about testing the new lab. They tried their own experiment, without guidance from their teacher.
“We are very glad that our school was chosen, to benefit from this. We are confident that we will show positive results going forward. We hope that we will see many learners choosing Physical Science as their subject of choice,” said Nazo.
Science teacher and HOD for Maths and Physical Science, Bulelwa Noganka is adamant that the mobile lab will make learners more positive.
“Our old lab is not really conducive for teaching science, because it is also used as a class. With a mobile lab it means you can take it anywhere, and show learners different experiments and not depend only on theory. We believe it will help in boosting our results in this subject,” she said.
BCM mayor, Xola Pakati wished other companies would follow suit and invest in education. He said he had taken note of challenges the school was facing and wanted to close the gap between township and former model C schools.
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