SIPHELELE NKETO
THE handover of a state-of-the-art mobile science laboratory at Nomzamo Primary School in Kokstad on Tuesday, May 13, has brought joy and hope to both learners and teachers since it will provide access to practical science experiments and foster the culture of innovation.
The mobile lab has been designed to bring practical science education directly to schools, while also offering hands-on experiments and interactive learning experiences.
It was handed over by the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investments Company (ROMPCO) to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
The initiative was part of spreading out ROMPCO’s successful mobile science lab programme previously implemented in Mpumalanga.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to educational development, we are thrilled to extend our mobile science lab programme to Kokstad. This initiative is more than just a corporate social investment, but a transformative journey for our learners,” said ROMPCO CEO Mlandzeni Boyce.
The mobile lab will serve 10 schools within the Kokstad area. Acting director for the Department of Education in the Harry Gwala district, Bongiwe Ntombela, said that the handover of the science lab will improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools.
“The learner performance will improve in our schools. The science lab will benefit more than 1 000 learners in the area,” she said.
She added that the science lab will give learners an opportunity to understand how to be involved in a lesson.
Nomzamo Primary School principal Mlamli Gusha was thrilled about the handover and said that teachers will no longer have to depend only on textbooks in class but will have use of the lab.
Grade 7 learners Anele Mgwabashe, Mpho Chere and Thimna Matiyela said the science lab will help them better understand science.
ROMPCO extended its gratitude to the Osizweni Science Centre and the Department of Education in Kokstad for their invaluable support in bringing this vision to fruition. Meanwhile, ROMPCO’s previous contribution to Nomzamo Primary School involved the donation of three classrooms through a partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Ride4Hope initiative.
