From 23 June to 11 July 2008, CASME hosted some 250 Mathematics and Science educators over a period of three weeks for Winter School programmes.

In the week prior to the start of the school holidays CASME hosted a group of teachers from schools involved in the Sakhumzantsi Project an initiative of the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) and the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE).

 
Science Educators do some practical work and
Maths Educators engage in some lively problem solving discussion

No sooner had the CBE/NSBE group departed when the next group of educators arrived. This programme coincided with a learner winter school organised by the Development Bank of South Africa in partnership with a number of corporate sponsors including Sasol, Eskom and BHP Billiton. CASME arranged with Eskom to fund a parallel training programme for educators. The objectives were: (1) to provide training for educators in content and pedagogy in respect of targeted new topics in the Grade 12 curriculum (2) to ensure that educators were informed regarding the teaching that had taken place with their learners during their two week holiday programme (3) to equip teachers to provide continuity in the teaching with their learners on their return to school (4) to provide teachers with training material that could be used in their teaching.

 
Teachers in the DBSA Winter School had the chance to work in small groups and
get some one-on-one time with CASME facilitator Sandile Hlongwane

We rounded up our three week holiday programme with a group of 200 teachers from the KZN DoE's District Development initiative. This project, in collaobration with the Media in Education Trust (MiET) is part of their Royal Netherlands Embassy Schools as Centres of Care and Support project. The five day programme is part of a 14 day training programme that has already been supporting 20 teachers from each of five districts in KZN, namely Umzinyathi, Othukela, Obonjeni, Vryheid and Sisonke.

KZN Teachers were treated to the beautiful new
Science Laboratories at UKZN's Westville Campus
for their practical work sessions during the Winter School

Impact you can measure The SA Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) is where carefully selected development projects are listed for the public to invest in. Each project is researched, evaluated and monitored using specially designed assessment tools so that investors can track their impact on people and communities. Real returns The innovation of SASIX has been to develop indicators that measure the social impact of listed projects so that investors can see a real return on their investment. The return is social, rather than financial, but is nonetheless vital for development in South Africa. SASIX applies the same sort of assessment and due diligence to social investments as is given to more traditional investments. Criteria To qualify for SASIX funding, projects must: Be specific, time-bound development interventions which address an identified need within a community. Be run by South African registered non-profit organisations. Have definable and measurable outcomes that have a clear impact on the lives of disadvantaged people. The SASIX assessment process ensures that listed projects meet a set of criteria, including the ability to deliver measurable returns.

We reported last year and in our 2007 Annual Report that CASME has partnered with the South African Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) in a drive to solicit funding for selected, approved projects.

In June 2008 CASME officially started implementing the Ndwedwe Mathematics and Science Teacher Development Project which is listed on the South African Social Investment Exchange and is fully funded by Basil Read.

The three year old South African Social Investment Exchange is an initiative of Greater Good South Africa (the online philanthropy portal) and is modelled on Brazil's Social and Environmental Stock Exchange (BVS&A) which was launched at the World Social Forum.

The Ndwedwe project picks up on an earlier project where CASME worked with a small group of science and mathematics educators in the area in 2004. The new initiative has a number of differentiating features: (1) it introduces a stand-alone resource centre to the circuit which is based in the Ndwedwe Circuit office; (2) it increases the reach of the project to 40 schools; (3) it has the commitment of Basil Read for a period of three years.

What this means is that the project has the potential for broad, deep, sustainable impact.

It is a credit to the evaluation team at SASIX and to the funders - Basil Read - that a project of this size and scope is being undertaken. There is firstly the acknowledgement that educator professional development is the key to science and mathematics advancement and secondly that it is not a short-term project but one that require intensive, sustained intervention to reap rewards.

CASME will be participating again in the ScienceUnlimited event at the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg from Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 August 2008. The aim of the event is "to excite and inspire our budding young scientists (and their educators!)".

To this end "ScienceUnlimited 2008 will offer a comprehensive, multi-facetted, interactive programme consisting of 100 science shows, 200 workshops, demonstrations, illustrated talks & lectures and over 3000m² of interactive displays, exhibits and exhibitions".

CASME will be offering visitors a glimpse into the work we do, particularly in our Resource Centre's initiative, through our display stand in the exhibition hall. Unfortunately we will not be offering any workshops or demonstrations this year as part of the formal programme, but we will be conducting some practicals during the course of the week from our stand.

CASME's participation is once again made possible by Absa Corporate Social Investment.

During National Science Week we linked up with the Department of Public Works in an effort to bring news about opportunities in this sector to learners. This partnership subsequently led to interaction with the Council for the Built Environment and National Society of Black Engineers and the Winter School programme reported on above.

We would like to share the following information regarding bursary opportunities available through the Department of Public Works and ask that you make this available to your learners and students.

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The Department of Public Works is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer offering a Bursary Programme to students that have successfully completed at least their first year at a University and learners at high schools that obtain above average results in Mathematics and Physical Science.

The Bursary Programme provides for all expenses related to tuition, registration, and accommodation costs, as well as costs related to prescribed books.

Applications for the following Professional disciplines will be considered:

• Architecture
• Quantity Surveying
• Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Structural)
• Property Valuation
• Construction project management

The Department of Public Works advertises the Bursary Programme annually.

The following requirements must be met when applying for the Bursary Programme:

• Original certified copy of identity document
• Original certified copy of senior certificate
• Original certified copies of all qualifications
• Original certified copies of statements of results
• Copy of the admission requirements and number of modules/subjects from the academic institution for the intended course of study
• Copy of the curriculum (indicating the number of years of study) from the academic institution for the intended course of study
• Affidavit indicating that you are unemployed
• Study plan indicating how the course will be completed over the stipulated contract period
• Printout from the academic institution of the tuition fees, prescribed books, and all other fees that will be required

The Department requires that Bursary Holders work in the Department for the same number of years specified in the bursary contract, after obtaining the relevant qualification at the following centres: Head Office (Pietermaritzburg), the Ethekwini Regional Office (Durban), the Southern Regional Office (Pietermaritzburg), the Midlands Regional Office (Ladysmith), and the North Coast Regional Office (Ulundi).

No faxed or emailed applications will be accepted.

Address the application to:

The Department of Public Works
Head Office
Ms T.Xaba
Private Bag X9142
Pietermaritzburg
3200

Enquiries: 033 897 6357/6351/6352/6358.

Applications can be downloaded at www.kznworks.gov.za