COLABORATING FREEDOM DAY THROUGH MST

Over 60 educators will be descending at Osner Hotel in East London for a two-day workshop as from the Freedom Day. These educators come as far as Limpompo and KwaZulu-Natal. They form part of ASESA delegation and will be joining their counterparts from around East London and KingWilliam’s Town.

The ASESA workshop will try to address the knowledge gap that teachers lack when dealing with teaching content. The workshop will also address better ways and strategies when teaching content.

Grade 4 – 12 MST educators are targeted. These trainees are in return expected to train other educators both in their schools and neighbouring schools.

Experienced, practising and active MST educators have been identified for this training.

Arrival and registration will take place as from 16h00 on 27 April 2006.

Five specialists’ facilitators will be taking delegates through their paces for two full days, on 28 – 29 April 206. These facilitators are:

* Ms Ntshantsha Mpondwana > Subject Adviser and Moderator (Biology)
* Celiwe Ngetu > University of Fort Hare Lecturer (Technology)


* Angela Stott > from KZN – produced learners for Eskom Science Expo
for Young Scientists



* Lindiwe Vilakazi > Maths, GET (ASESA Treasurer)
* Mbambeni Ndaba > Maths, FET (ASESA President)

Departure is on Sunday, 30 April 2006.

ASESA believes that the continued insistence on facilitating educators on content and methodology is vital. Challenges posed by OBE demand the non-profit organisations such as ASESA that they must always strive to meet and mobilise educators, especially in the field of MST, irrespective of limited resources.

Many of these teachers come from disadvantaged communities and rural areas and are prepared and willing to sacrifice time and family comfort during such long weekends for the benefit of all school going children. Also to benefit is the industry that continue to draw its manpower from these fields of MST.

ASESA has realised that no one will do a thing if educators themselves do not stand-up and face their challenges, until they become the best they could be in the teaching and learning of MST.

Soon after this workshop, ASESA’s main focus will be on the on-coming conference and 10th Anniversary to be held in Pietermaritzburg as from the 29 June – 02 July 2006.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Siyabulela Matshayana (ASESA Programmes Coordinator)
@ 0724615498,
or Nombulelo Mandindi (ASESA Administrator) @ 082 390 70 88

Marinating Our MST (Maths, Science & Technology)

Our teaching is like a 'braai' in whatever occassion
We enjoy the 'braai' with the little cash we have
No expensive spices needed
No fancy braai stands, fires or charcoal
We even pick it when it falls into the dust
And claim that “Iwe ngoboya”

That’s what we need to do to our teaching
Pick it up and enjoy it at whatever cost
Enjoy it with whatever resources
Be it in the morning, afternoon or evening
Be it weekdays, weekends or holidays
For the satisfaction of everyone

There are Olympiads, Expos and Festivals
There are competitions, quizzes, tests and explorations
There are observations, investigations and experimentations
There are surveying, researching and comparing
Then there are findings, deducing and conclusions

Let’s go on and write scientific stories and poems
Let’s perform scientific dances and plays
Let’s sing scientific songs and record them on audio and video
Let’s publish scientific photos and books
Let’s do them at home, in the community and everywhere
Let’s make MST easy, simple and fun

Remember that MST affects our daily lives
Remember that MST is not for the clever or genius
Remember that MST give us hard times if we are ignorant
Remember that we are alive because of MST
Remember that almost every success is because of MST
Why we need air, water, food, technology, Remember?

Ultimately we are going to die
Should we die with such important skills and methodologies?
Or should we die because we were useless anyway?
Who are we blaming for not having an enjoyable braai of MST?
When are we going to begin to blame ourselves?
For we need to be the best MST teachers that we could be!

by: Zongz Tshobas

NB: I got the inspiration to write this poem from the inputs by Siyabulela Matshayana (MDAMSTEDA Chairperson), Mr Mfundo Myeki (ASESA Deputy Chairperson) and Mr Fanyana Mazibuko
(TEASA Director).