Frontier country will be flooded with some of the brightest minds in the province as Makhanda gears up to host the inaugural two-day Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (Steam) education seminar.
The seminar, set to take place at Kingswood College in Makhanda on Friday and Saturday, is hosted by the Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) at Nelson Mandela University, bringing together more than 140 key stakeholders in Steam education and in-service educators from across the province.
GMMDC director Professor Werner Olivier said the event, organised in partnership with the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (Isasa), aims to foster networking opportunities among educators from private and public schools.
As well as highlight best teaching practices and innovative approaches linking mathematics and science education to real-world problem-solving and career pathways in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
“We must provide networking opportunities across diverse school environments for educators to showcase and share innovative and viable 21st-century teaching practices and resources,” he said.
Olivier said it is designed to advance trans-disciplinary teaching and learning strategies in schools, addressing critical Steam skills challenges hindering sustainable development and economic growth opportunities for the youth.
Featuring a diverse array of Steam presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops, the seminar engages educators with practical tools to stimulate interest in mathematics and science classrooms.
The event will also feature presentation by national and international Steam education experts including Dr Kristof Fenyvesi from the Finnish Institute of Educational Research based at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.
While the opening session of the event will be attended by representatives of the office of the national chief director for MST and curriculum enhancement programmes of the department of basic education, Seliki Tlhabane, who praised the initiative as a positive step towards addressing mathematics education challenges in the province.
According to Isasa South-East regional director and co-organiser Mariette Visser, the seminar provides a valuable platform to collectively explore solutions to the growing education and skills development needs in the province.
The GMMDC aims to establish the provincial Steam education seminar as an annual engagement event, fostering sustainable skills development in the province's schools.
HeraldLIVE
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