EBDA has recently launched another implementation leg of the vision held for the Academy. This entails the establishment of a Maths and Science Centre of Excellence. A maths and science specialist, Mr Eric Mnisi, an educator with a most impressive track record, has been employed to head up the Maths and Science Centre. The Centre’s core objectives are:
- To plan and successfully implement a series of bridging interventions in the fields of maths and science to enable learners, that include scholars as well as learners who have already left school, to successfully enrol for, and complete, technical fields of study such as metallurgy and engineering
- To contribute to the improved teaching of maths and science
- To enhance learners prospects to successfully complete their chosen fields of study where these involve maths and science.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following action steps have been implemented:
- At least three local schools in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality have been identified in conjunction with the Department of Education. School children in grades 10 to 12 at these schools attend special classes held both during normal school hours as well as after hours, during which specialised attention is paid to address problematic areas in the maths and science teaching curriculum. To this end, the interventions consist of pre-intervention assessments, actual specialised teaching and then post-intervention assessments. The results achieved thus far are extremely encouraging with up to 60% improvements shown in many areas.
- Workshops are also held twice per month for maths and science educators during which problematic areas are again focussed on. A similar methodology of pre and post intervention assessments is also used. Similarly, extremely positive results are again emerging so much so that the educators who attend purely on a voluntary basis are requesting additional sessions.
- EBDA has commenced running N1 and N2 classes in maths and science as well as engineering science. These subjects are a pre-requisite at an N2 level for learners to be able to write their trade tests. Improvements in excess of 60% are again proof of the success of this intervention. Special bridging classes are conducted for learners who only have maths literacy but who need to achieve their N2 in mathematics.
