Lessons in Life through Science and Technology

South African science teacher, Nomvula Tsehla, stays after school nearly every day.  But she does not complain.  After 14 years of teaching chemistry and physics without any tools, the Minerva High School teacher said, “I’m glad my students in Alexandra Township ask to stay late.  They can hardly wait to experiment with the new micro-science kits provided by USAID this year (2002).”  One of the 700 learners in Nomvula’s classes recently announced her decision to become a pharmacist.  Nomvula is pleased about 16-year-old Audrey Molaudzi’s ambition and said, “I want to encourage more girls to pursue occupations in the sciences.”

A serious and lasting deficit in education was caused by apartheid’s determination to keep science and technology education out of the hands and minds of most South Africans.  USAID works with the government and businesses to assist 102 schools dedicated to Mathematics, Science and Technology to redress this injustice in two ways: strengthening teachers’ skills in teaching these subjects and providing laboratory equipment (science and math kits) for the first time to formerly disadvantaged youth.  Nomvula said she appreciated the training course USAID sponsored for her, adding, “This is the first time our school has had modern science kits.”  Students previously had to congregate around a single demonstration area to observe experiments.  Learners were seldom able to handle scientific apparatus and struggled to correlate theory with reality. 

The science kits also mean hands-on opportunities for 14,134 learners to explore the mysteries of science in the Francis Baard district of the Northern Cape.  Teacher and student guides accompanied the micro-science kits USAID helped provide to 62 schools in this district.  Science laboratories are virtually unknown in previously disadvantaged schools and textbook words don’t bring the lessons to life.  These science kits are a step toward reducing the disparity that exists between the well-equipped schools of the more privileged learners.  The materials also serve indirectly to increase the skills of the underqualified teachers found in many schools.