Johannesburg, 09 Oct 2008
The ICT skills pool is dwindling and one of the primary causes of this crisis can be traced back to secondary education, particularly the years in which scholars are required to choose the subjects they will carry through to matric. “There is a general lack of interest in mathematics and science which is the result of a variety of factors such as, the shortage of educators and limited access to essential resources like textbooks, calculators and well-kitted science laboratories. Therefore, when these subjects become optional, scholars are inclined to opt out of carrying them through to matric,” says Lungile Mdletshe, Strategy Manager BSG (Africa).
BSG, as a member of various university advisory committees, has observed the declining number of black South African graduates qualified to enter the ICT sector. The universities have indicated one of the reasons for the declining number of graduates is that matriculants do not have the necessary background, mainly in mathematics and science, to be accepted into ICT related fields of study. ICT fields of study mainly require mathematics and science as prerequisites for acceptance into related degrees.
As an investment into the future growth of the ICT skills pool, BSG established the Promotion of Mathematics and Science Initiative. This initiative is a career awareness campaign through which BSG strives to encourage learners to select mathematics and science as two of their matric subjects in order to increase their career options and opportunities for acceptance into ICT and other related careers. To this end, the BSG team had to improve and uplift the attitude of learners towards mathematics and physical science and make learners aware of the career opportunities that studying mathematics and physical science at schools makes available.
Recognising the complex nature of challenges faced by the South African government in the successful delivery of mathematics and science, BSG approached the Maths Centre as an enabling vehicle for this project. The Maths Centre runs a national programme aimed at improving the quality of mathematics and science at black disadvantaged schools.
BSG's initiative involved a presentation to learners in their life orientation lesson and was piloted in four schools in the Tembisa area with which the Maths Centre is involved. The Maths Centre programme to improve the quality of mathematics and science at these schools is specifically funded by African Explosives Limited. The schools include Masiqhakaze High, Zitikeni Secondary, Tembisa High and Thuto-ke-Maatla High.
The initiative was specifically targeted at grade nine learners within each of the schools as this is the pivotal time at which these learners select the subjects they will carry through to matric. In total 1 694 learners were presented to.
The BSG team encouraged learners to take ownership and invest in their future and their presentation covered career opportunities and fields of study in engineering, science, health sciences, business and commercial studies. The team went on to discuss tertiary institutions which offer academic study in these fields as well as bursaries and scholarships that can assist in these fields of study. To add a touch of glamour to these subjects and to help draw more interest to them, the team finished the presentation with a highlight of a few celebrities who have a mathematics and/or science background.
The project, however, has not been without challenges. Some of these included a lack of interest from the students in mathematics and science as well as the students' belief that these subjects are difficult. There were also some restrictions with the facilities at the school such as electricity for the presentation equipment and dedicated resources from the schools to assist with the on-the-ground coordination. In spite of this, it was still a very rewarding experience for the BSG team.
The Maths Centre carried out an evaluation of the initiative by issuing questionnaires before and after the presentation to measure the students' attitude towards mathematics and science. A comparison of the scores indicated that students had a more positive attitude to mathematics and science after having some of the myths surrounding these subjects dispelled by the presentation.
The mathematics and science heads of department, the school principals and life orientation teachers have shown a deep appreciation for the initiative. They have welcomed BSG and Maths Centre's continued involvement in promoting mathematics and science and have even requested that the initiative be extended to other grades. It is clear that this project is required in many schools so as to change the mindset of learners regarding these subjects.
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