The Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre in Uitenhage will be officially opened on Friday, 22 March 2013. The Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, will deliver an opening address at the launch event.
The centre is the first fully fledged science centre in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan. It is an initiative of the Uitenhage Despatch Development Initiative, and is supported by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Volkswagen South Africa. The centre will provide support in the learning and teaching of Mathematics and Science to about 430 schools in the catchment area.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has provided R500 000 for the equipping of the physical science laboratory and has deployed four unemployed science graduates to work at the centre. They will receive a stipend from the DST for the first year.
The DST also awarded a grant of R320 000 to the Centre, which was used towards the purchase and equipping of a panel van that will now be used as a mobile laboratory, reaching out to more schools in the area. Minister Hanekom will officially hand over the vehicle to the centre during the ceremony.
The science centre already boasts 100 interactive exhibits to teach visitors about general physics, solar systems, weather and chemistry in a fun way.
The DST's science centre programme supplements the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in schools. It has also proved useful in attracting the youth to science, engineering and technology-related careers.
To date 30 science centres have been established across the country.
For more information please contact:
Nthabi Maoela
Cell: 082 944 0015
