"South Africa needs to quadruple the number of engineering graduates per year," said the Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, at the official opening of the UNESCO Africa Engineering Week at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), on Monday 1 September. The opening ceremony was attended by over 200 children from schools in Soweto, who also visited the engineering professions exhibition.
Minister Pandor encouraged learners to make a decision to study mathematics and science, and to work hard at them.
"We have an unfortunate legacy inherited from the former education system of our country, which discouraged black learners from taking mathematics and science for matric. I am calling on you all to reverse this legacy by taking these subjects in order to change the situation," said Minister Pandor.
One of the learners who attended the event was Bayanda Madi, in grade nine at Ncube High School in Mofolo North, Soweto. The grade nine pupil found the UNESCO African Exhibition very informative.
"By studying maths and science, young people will be able to help South Africa develop," she stated.
"I have learned that engineering makes life easy; engineers build bridges and roads to improve movement and create a healthy environment in communities to reduce overcrowding which often brings diseases like TB for example," said the aspiring mechanical engineer.
Minister Pandor lamented the fact that the media did not give science and maths the visibility they warranted.
"We need to make science, maths and technology-related subjects more visible to the youth, in order to inspire more children and build the number of engineers entering the profession," she said.
In a passionate plea to the learners, Minister Pandor said: "Our desperate need is for you, as the future of this country, to take the decision from grade 10 right through to grade 12, to study maths and science at school, and to persevere with these subjects, right up to university. If you stick with this decision, in 20 years' time our country will be transformed."
Seventeen-year-old Karabo Kgatle, a grade 11 pupil who is taking maths and science at Emshukantambo Secondary School in Pimville, Soweto, was also present. Karabo aspires to study chemical engineering or biochemistry at university.
"After listening to Minister Pandor I am motivated to work harder and my interest in engineering has been increased. Here at the exhibition I am learning things I did not know before and, by the time I go home this afternoon, I will have acquired valuable information about engineering," she said.
The UNESCO Africa Engineering Week is open to all learners from 09:00 to 14:00 daily, at the Perskor Building on the UJ Doornfontein Campus.
For more information, visit www.ecsa.co.za, www.unesco.org or www.dst.gov.za.
Media contacts:
Cassius Mogoeng
Junior Account Executive: GGi Communications (for ECSA)
Tel: 011 728 1363
Cell: 073 550 8887
E-mail: cassius@ggisa.com
Veronica Mohapeloa
Deputy Director: Media Liaison (for the DST)
Tel: 012 843 6788
Cell: 082 882 3818
E-mail: Veronica.Mohapeloa@dst.gov.za
Rovani Sigamoney (for UNESCO)
Assistant Programme Specialist
Tel: 33 (0) 1 45 68 39 32
E-mail: r.sigamoney@unesco.org
