Date: 23/03/2004
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: M Mangena: BMW 1st Annual Science Awards
REPLY BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE 1ST BMW EXCELLENCE PROJECT AWARDS, Planetarium of the University of the Witwatersrand, Auckland Park, 23 March 2004
Director of Ceremonies
Director for BMW South Africa Government Affairs and Africa Sales, Mr Seth Phalatse
Managing Director of BookSmart Foundation South Africa, Ms Monica Mngadi
Professor David Block, Dr Sadha Moodley
Distinguished Guests
Educators
Learners
Ladies and Gentlemen.
On 20 April 2001, I had a singular pleasure of being among those who attended the launch of the BMW Centres of Excellence Project for mathematics, science and technology at Gatang Secondary School in Mamelodi. Now in its third year, the programme already impacts upon approximately 7000 learners in selected primary and high schools in the Gauteng BMW Family of Schools.
This particular private sector mathematics, science and technology education intervention is unique in that it has penetrated into an area where the Department of Education is still to consolidate its reach and impact, that is, the primary school sector. This initiative, together with similar private sector investments that are being implemented countrywide, serves to strengthen the implementation of the National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. A concerted effort to bring synergy and coordination is bound to produce an enormous impact within the system in a much shorter period. We would like to convey our support and commendation to BMW South Africa for the investment it is making in the development of our people.
These First BMW Annual Science Awards are recognising and rewarding pioneer educators and learners that have benefited from the project, and the achievements of some of the schools and learners are really something to boast about. We congratulate and commend you for your sterling efforts.
This year, the department is looking at ways of consolidating the National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology by looking at, among others, the following:
1. Improving the teaching of English as a Second Language. Many studies show that the lack of proficiency in the language of teaching and learning is a major factor contributing to poor learner performance in these subjects.
2. We aim to place in every Mathematics, Science and Technology classroom a qualified and competent teacher within the next few years.
3. We are considering setting performance targets for all our schools. The lessons we learnt from the Dinaledi Project indicate that setting realistic targets for the system yields favourable results. The targets will relate to increases in participation and performance rates for schools and certain population groups such as African and girl learners.
4. We are also aiming to make interactive digital content on mathematics, science and technology available via satellite, television, the Internet, and print supplements to schools over time. This goal is linked to a massive roll out of ICT hardware, software and connectivity to schools. By 2013, every school should be having access to a computer.
The core business of our schools is to prepare our youth for lifelong learning. In the past, schools laid emphasis on teaching with little attention to ensuring that learning was taking place. Now, education systems have made a clear shift towards equipping our learners with a full range of skills, knowledge and life expectations to better prepare them for the demands of adult life. We perceive this as a very positive development in our education system and would like to pursue its implementation further.
As countries endeavour to find common ground on practices that are likely to bring about mutually beneficial opportunities for development, the relationship between education and processes that place sustainable human development at the centre cannot be sufficiently overemphasised. Education is central to confronting the many challenges relating to environmental degradation, poverty eradication and social dislocation. Education does not only affect economic development; it also plays a seminal role in the inculcation of social and moral values. It is a powerful tool for changing individual and social mindsets, and imparting knowledge and skills that could be utilised to change the course of human history.
I am particularly excited by the partnership that has developed between BMW South Africa and the BookSmart Foundation South Africa.
No one can dispute the fact that reading broadens one's mind and extends one's horizons. It compels people to think about things they never thought possible, and plays an important role in changing perceptions or behaviours. The more readers we have as a country, the easier it would be for information, policies and opinions to be communicated to the citizens. The slow pace of development in developing countries can largely be attributed to low literacy levels.
The words of Malcolm X, upon his release after serving his prison sentence for burglary captures the value of books and reading in a very pointed and graphic manner. He says:
I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading opened to me. I knew right there in prison, that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke in me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.
Recent research reveals that the number of active readers within populations of most countries in Africa is less than 5%, and book production is almost entirely dedicated to the education sector. In addition, nearly all bookshops in Africa are in urban areas and more often, they are situated many hundreds of kilometres apart.
This state of affairs requires our serious and urgent action. It is imperative that we should, as a matter of urgency, begin focusing on developing the necessary infrastructure, and making reading and writing pleasurable experiences for all our people. It is important that everyone should have easy access to all types of information. And there is no better and more effective way of facilitating access to books to disadvantaged communities than making every school an information resource centre for our people both young and old.
The most marvellous thing about a book, in contrast to IT-enabled sources of information, is that a book does not depend on the availability of electricity or some expensive gadget in order to be accessed; you can read it any time anywhere and take it with wherever you go. I would like to congratulate the Managing Director of the BookSmart Foundation South Africa, Ms Monica Mngadi, for her unwavering commitment in ensuring that our nation gains access to the written word and the world of books.
In closing, allow me once again to commend and congratulate BMW South Africa, and in particular, the Manager for Corporate Social Investment and today's programme director, Ms Esther Langa, and her team for their untiring support of the project. We would like to see this project expand beyond Gauteng to other provinces over time. We also salute the schools, teachers and learners who will be receiving their awards this afternoon. We sincerely believe that the learners have been so inspired by the journey through a "Night Under the Stars" led by Dr Block earlier this afternoon that many will decide to follow a career in astronomy.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Education
23 March 2004
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: M Mangena: BMW 1st Annual Science Awards
REPLY BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE 1ST BMW EXCELLENCE PROJECT AWARDS, Planetarium of the University of the Witwatersrand, Auckland Park, 23 March 2004
Director of Ceremonies
Director for BMW South Africa Government Affairs and Africa Sales, Mr Seth Phalatse
Managing Director of BookSmart Foundation South Africa, Ms Monica Mngadi
Professor David Block, Dr Sadha Moodley
Distinguished Guests
Educators
Learners
Ladies and Gentlemen.
On 20 April 2001, I had a singular pleasure of being among those who attended the launch of the BMW Centres of Excellence Project for mathematics, science and technology at Gatang Secondary School in Mamelodi. Now in its third year, the programme already impacts upon approximately 7000 learners in selected primary and high schools in the Gauteng BMW Family of Schools.
This particular private sector mathematics, science and technology education intervention is unique in that it has penetrated into an area where the Department of Education is still to consolidate its reach and impact, that is, the primary school sector. This initiative, together with similar private sector investments that are being implemented countrywide, serves to strengthen the implementation of the National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. A concerted effort to bring synergy and coordination is bound to produce an enormous impact within the system in a much shorter period. We would like to convey our support and commendation to BMW South Africa for the investment it is making in the development of our people.
These First BMW Annual Science Awards are recognising and rewarding pioneer educators and learners that have benefited from the project, and the achievements of some of the schools and learners are really something to boast about. We congratulate and commend you for your sterling efforts.
This year, the department is looking at ways of consolidating the National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology by looking at, among others, the following:
1. Improving the teaching of English as a Second Language. Many studies show that the lack of proficiency in the language of teaching and learning is a major factor contributing to poor learner performance in these subjects.
2. We aim to place in every Mathematics, Science and Technology classroom a qualified and competent teacher within the next few years.
3. We are considering setting performance targets for all our schools. The lessons we learnt from the Dinaledi Project indicate that setting realistic targets for the system yields favourable results. The targets will relate to increases in participation and performance rates for schools and certain population groups such as African and girl learners.
4. We are also aiming to make interactive digital content on mathematics, science and technology available via satellite, television, the Internet, and print supplements to schools over time. This goal is linked to a massive roll out of ICT hardware, software and connectivity to schools. By 2013, every school should be having access to a computer.
The core business of our schools is to prepare our youth for lifelong learning. In the past, schools laid emphasis on teaching with little attention to ensuring that learning was taking place. Now, education systems have made a clear shift towards equipping our learners with a full range of skills, knowledge and life expectations to better prepare them for the demands of adult life. We perceive this as a very positive development in our education system and would like to pursue its implementation further.
As countries endeavour to find common ground on practices that are likely to bring about mutually beneficial opportunities for development, the relationship between education and processes that place sustainable human development at the centre cannot be sufficiently overemphasised. Education is central to confronting the many challenges relating to environmental degradation, poverty eradication and social dislocation. Education does not only affect economic development; it also plays a seminal role in the inculcation of social and moral values. It is a powerful tool for changing individual and social mindsets, and imparting knowledge and skills that could be utilised to change the course of human history.
I am particularly excited by the partnership that has developed between BMW South Africa and the BookSmart Foundation South Africa.
No one can dispute the fact that reading broadens one's mind and extends one's horizons. It compels people to think about things they never thought possible, and plays an important role in changing perceptions or behaviours. The more readers we have as a country, the easier it would be for information, policies and opinions to be communicated to the citizens. The slow pace of development in developing countries can largely be attributed to low literacy levels.
The words of Malcolm X, upon his release after serving his prison sentence for burglary captures the value of books and reading in a very pointed and graphic manner. He says:
I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading opened to me. I knew right there in prison, that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke in me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.
Recent research reveals that the number of active readers within populations of most countries in Africa is less than 5%, and book production is almost entirely dedicated to the education sector. In addition, nearly all bookshops in Africa are in urban areas and more often, they are situated many hundreds of kilometres apart.
This state of affairs requires our serious and urgent action. It is imperative that we should, as a matter of urgency, begin focusing on developing the necessary infrastructure, and making reading and writing pleasurable experiences for all our people. It is important that everyone should have easy access to all types of information. And there is no better and more effective way of facilitating access to books to disadvantaged communities than making every school an information resource centre for our people both young and old.
The most marvellous thing about a book, in contrast to IT-enabled sources of information, is that a book does not depend on the availability of electricity or some expensive gadget in order to be accessed; you can read it any time anywhere and take it with wherever you go. I would like to congratulate the Managing Director of the BookSmart Foundation South Africa, Ms Monica Mngadi, for her unwavering commitment in ensuring that our nation gains access to the written word and the world of books.
In closing, allow me once again to commend and congratulate BMW South Africa, and in particular, the Manager for Corporate Social Investment and today's programme director, Ms Esther Langa, and her team for their untiring support of the project. We would like to see this project expand beyond Gauteng to other provinces over time. We also salute the schools, teachers and learners who will be receiving their awards this afternoon. We sincerely believe that the learners have been so inspired by the journey through a "Night Under the Stars" led by Dr Block earlier this afternoon that many will decide to follow a career in astronomy.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Education
23 March 2004
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