The University of Pretoria’s science centre, Sci-Enza, is extending its mission of making science accessible to learners of all ages in a fun and entertaining way through visits to schools in Tshwane South. This initiative, which has already reached more than 1 500 learners in the Foundation and Intermediate phases, forms part of its annual outreach programme, and was made possible by funding from the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).

The programme that was presented to the learners is similar to the centre’s in-house programme, and introduced disadvantaged learners who are unable to visit the centre to the fascinating world of coding and robotics. “We are grateful for this opportunity to take science to the learners,” says Puleng Tsie, Manager of Sci-Enza.

Learners are introduced to the fascinating world of coding and robotics through Sci-Enza’s community outreach programme.

She explains that this programme was developed in response to the introduction of Coding and Robotics in the school curriculum by the Department of Basic Education. The centre therefore made use of this opportunity to collaborate with the Department’s Tshwane South District to introduce learners to this new field in information technology.

“From the feedback we received, it was clear that both the learners and the teachers enjoyed the programme and appreciated being exposed to other sciences outside the classroom.” She observed that introducing learners to coding and robotics nurtures logical and computational thinking, which helps in reading and mathematics as well. This, in turn, leads to better educational outcomes.

In addition to including science topics in its outreach programmes, the centre is involved in a pilot project to develop curriculum content for the Natural Science subject area for learners in the Intermediate Phase. This includes a series of 10 videos that is being utilised by more than 70 schools in Tshwane.

The centre’s offering furthermore provides opportunities for people of all ages to engage with different fields of science through valuable hands-on learning experiences, interactive exhibits, science shows and demonstrations by young scientists and trained science communicators. “We aim to both reflect and shape our communities’ perspectives on science,” says Tsie. The centre annually engages more than 20 000 people who are eager to learn more about science. “By addressing key social issues and transforming how we see the future, we enrich people’s lives through engagement with science of local, national and global relevance.”

For more information, contact Puleng Tsie at 012 420 3767.