STEM in ACTION, a physical science intervention entity within the faculty of engineering, built environment and technology at Nelson Mandela University, has launched a new project for Grade 9 learners at schools around Nelson Mandela Bay.
This project aims at enhancing the content taught in the classroom for Grade 9 natural sciences learners and building a solid foundation for Grade 10 physical science.
According to the programme’s Nabeelah Lukie, in the past 10 years that STEM in ACTION has been actively involved in physical science curriculum activities to over 3 000 Grade 10 to 12 physical science learners per year, it became quite clear that many learners had an inadequate knowledge base to progress to Grade 10 physical science.
“STEM in ACTION has identified that due to COVID-19 protocols, most Grade 9 learners are attending school only every other day. This puts pressure on learners and teachers as they would have to cover the curriculum in a shorter space of time,” Lukie said.
GATE-9 (Getting Ahead in Technology and Engineering), a SANRAL funded project, allows the learners to get more contact time to familiarise themselves with complex scientific content and ultimately reiterate what they heard in class to better understand the concepts.
“During these GATE-9 laboratory sessions, the learners will participate in hands-on experiments and academic fundamentals in Grade 9 chemistry. These sessions will build a solid foundation of the basic chemistry principles which is much needed as learners’ transition into Grade 10 physical science,” Lukie added.
GATE-9 sees a partnership between STEM in ACTION and schools that had already committed and implemented two existing STEM in ACTION projects; Key Concepts in Science for Grades 8 and 9 and the Selected Schools Project where all Grades 10, 11 and 12 physical science learners are performing their experiments at the STEM in ACTION laboratories.
These schools include, Chapman High, Bertram Secondary, Paterson High, St James Secondary, Andrew Rabie High, Morningside High and Ethembeni Enrichment Centre, among others. The 40 best performing Grade 9 learners from these schools are participating in GATE-9.
“The participating learners will attend six sessions in STEM in ACTION’s laboratories at Nelson Mandela University’s Missionvale Campus on the days that they do not attend school.
“The focus for the intervention will be on the basic principles of chemistry. From exposure to thousands of learners, STEM in ACTION identified that a lack of basic chemistry knowledge impairs learners’ performance,” Lukie said.
The objectives of the GATE-9 project are to debunk the notion that science is difficult, and to empower learners to grasp concepts, thus motivating more learners to choose physical science as a subject.
