THABAZIMBI – An educators’ workshop in Mathematics and a Gr 12 Mathematics and Science Spring School seminar were presented to educators and learners respectively as part of Northam Platinum’ drive to empower locals in these fields of education.
For the second time this year a Mathematics workshop was presented on 26 and 27 September to 22 local educators at Rra Ditau Game Lodge. During the past week Grade 12 Maths and Science learners attended a spring school at Hoërskool Frikkie Meyer. The courses were sponsored by Northam Platinum mine.
According to Northam Platinum the skills shortages in its company specifically within the “hard skills” – Mathematics and Science based careers like engineering, finance and earth science – has necessitated Northam Platinum to partner with the Department of Education to facilitate a series of both learner and educator empowering workshops.
Both the workshops and the spring school were presented by JB Consultants from Johannesburg, the main instructor being dr Jurgens Basson.
The content of the educator’s workshop covered an optional third Maths examination paper written by Gr 12s. From next year this becomes compulsory for Gr 10s and will be fully phased in by 2011. The three examination papers in Maths are Algebra (first paper), Trigonometry (second paper) and Statistics, Geometry and Probability (third and optional paper).
Altogether 193 maths and 160 science learners participated in the Science and Maths spring school during the past week. The learners attending the seminar were from Frikkie Meyer, Itireleng (Rooiberg), Naletsana (Koedoeskop), Northam Comprehensive, Mabogopedi (Regorogile) and Groenvlei (Sentrum) in preparation of their matric exams.
Both the educators’ workshops and the spring schools were fully sponsored by Northam Platinum mine.
Transport and lunch for both workshop and spring school attendants were daily provided and Northam Platinum also sponsored the facilitator’s fees and training material. Tshwaraganang Women’s Project provided the meals to the learners during the spring school.
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