Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has officially opened the first ever Science and Technology High School for the people of Mvezo in the Eastern Cape.
The Nelson Mandela School of Science and Technology, which is located in the birth village of and named after the late former President Nelson Mandela, is a public-private partnership between government and ICT company, Siemens.
The state-of-the-art science and technology school will provide an opportunity for 700 learners from about 24 feeder primary schools.
It is hoped the school will create the right spirit and enthusiasm around future technologies and will focus on engineering, science, technology and agriculture.
The R100-million school is part of the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI), which aims to replace inappropriate school structures, address basic services backlogs and the provision of these services.
Speaking at the handover on Friday, President Zuma said they applaud the investment by Siemens to build the school in honour of the global icon.
“Madiba had to travel far to obtain secondary education because there was no secondary school in this area. Siemens has ensured that the children of Mvezo receive a state-of-the-art science and technology school that Madiba did not even dream of way back then.”
Zuma said Madiba was passionate about education and the plight of children, for they are the future of the country.
“That is why he was always raising funds to build schools in the country, particularly among the most disadvantaged communities. This is the legacy that should be continued.”
With the opening, the school will go a long way in addressing the challenges in science and technology, which is needed to advance the country’s economy.
Although there was an improvement in the matric results, particularly in maths and science in 2013, Zuma said there was still a long way to go in getting learners interested in the subjects.
“Societies advance through science and technology, and our country should not be left behind. We should make science and technology a joy for our learners.”
Zuma urged all the learners to use this opportunity constructively, study hard and build a bright future for themselves in memory of Madiba.
“The Mandela School of Science and Technology must be the training ground for the leaders of tomorrow. We want you to produce leaders in various fields, in honour of the distinguished man after whom the school is named.”
ASIDI
About 50 schools are to be built through the ASIDI. The schools will accommodate more than 10 000 learners in the Eastern Cape.
ASIDI aims to replace inappropriate school structures, address basic services backlogs and the provision of these services. It forms part of government’s 13th Strategic Infrastructure Project (SIP), which relates to the rebuilding of schools.
South Africa inherited a large number of schools in all provinces without water, sanitation and electricity, the bulk of the challenge being in the Eastern Cape.
The R8.2 billion public-private programme aims to eradicate the 496 mud schools in the country, provide water and sanitation to 1 257 schools and electricity to 878 schools by March 2016.
As part of the national ASIDI rollout, mud schools in the Eastern Cape will also be replaced with more appropriate structures, and upgrade schools to optimum functionality through the provision of core spaces such as libraries, laboratories and administration blocks. – SAnews.gov.za
