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Mthuthuzeli Gulekana during his presentation to the Khutsong matric science learners |
Learners listening attentively to Gulekana's presentation |
When widespread service delivery-related strikes hit Khutsong (Carltonville) in March this year, it triggered a systematic break-down of schooling for thousands of learners in the area. The subsequent national public strike in June exacerbated the situation, jeopardising especially the hundreds of matric students who were facing two important exams.
Concerned stakeholders initiated a 'recovery-plan' by relocating matrics to a suitable environment that would be conducive to learning, secure and non-hostile. The students were moved to the Vuselela Further Education Training College located in Taung (300 km away from Khutsong).
Mthuthuzeli Gulekana, physical oceanographer at the CSIR's regional office in Stellenbosch, grew up in that region and upon hearing of the predicament of the learners, offered his expert services. He arranged for educational material, funding, co-presenters and logistics. He and his two co-presenters took 200 kg of educational material to the learners. The material was provided by the CSIR, the Department of Science and Technology, iThemba Labs, as well as science faculties and admission offices of the universities of Cape Town and of the Western Cape, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch University.
Funded by ACCESS (African Centre for Climate and Earth Systems Science) - of which the CSIR is a key roleplayer - Gulekana's initiative was directed specifically towards the 200 maths and science learners at the camp.
"Our objectives were to motivate the learners, suggest tools that they can use and also to encourage them to pursue tertiary education in science, engineering and technology," says Gulekana. He also introduced the relatively new field of earth systems science to the learners.
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