The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) and the Council for the Build Environment (CBE) signed a memorandum of agreement that will see the CBE sponsor the CDC Maths & Science Programme.
“We are delighted that the CDC has given us an opportunity to be part of this programme, I am here to confirm that CBE has committed to fund and work with CDC in taking the programme forward, and we hope that the programme will produce more engineers and built environment professionals in SA,” says Priscilla Mdlalose, CBE Acting Chief Executive Officer.
“We are convinced that this programme will assist in contributing positively to the skills set of South Africa especially because Maths and Science are key to the economy of the country therefore we need to invest our money where it matters the most,” adds Mdlalose.
The CBE investment towards the programme will fund 75 maths and science leaners of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and the commitment will run for a period of three years.
One of the first scholars to be part of the programme Sibongile Khala currently a 3rd year pharmacy degree student at Rhodes University outlined his experience of the programme, “I wanted a distinction in maths and my results were not quite good to go to university so the maths & science facilitators promised to help in achieving my dream.”
“As a result when I joined the programme my results improved drastically. I got a distinction in Maths which I wanted, the facilitators were very patient with me and as such I really appreciate the work that the programme has done for me. I know as a matter of fact I would not have qualified for university had it not been as a result of the programme,” concluded Khala.
To date the programme has been fully funded by the CDC touching lives of 322 learners since its inception in 2013. These students are currently registered in institutions of higher learning around the country and some of them attended the signing ceremony.
Since inception, the programme has proved to be a success. In the 2016 class, which consisted of 48 learners, the programme achieved a 100% pass rate for Physical Science and 98% for Mathematics. In 2015 the programme, consisting of 50 learners, obtained a 98% pass rate for both subjects.
“CDC decided to take action against the challenge of lower pass rate in Maths and Science in the country. To date the programme has been a success and it is really encouraging that it has changed so many lives,” says Bonginkosi Mthembu, CDC Executive Manager Corporate Services.
“CDC is nothing but about changing lives, most of these students are the first to get an opportunity to enrol at university from their families and this programme has made a very positive impact in their lives and to their families,” adds Mthembu.
Alan Straton
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