Hosted annually by the Gert Sibande District Municipality in the Mkhondo region of Mpumalanga in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Education, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) recently participated in the annual Mondi Science, Career Guidance and FET Skills Centre Career Week and the Harry Gwala District Science Week.

Both events were aimed at empowering high school learners from Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape province with meaningful information relating to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation (STEMI) careers and relevant subject choices.

The Harry Gwala district in KwaZulu-Natal is predominantly rural. It has limited access to science engagement activities, leaving thousands of learners without meaningful exposure to STEMI careers and the real-world applications of high school subjects, including Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Sciences and Geography.

Outreach initiatives, such as career exhibitions, are essential for bringing leading science and technology organisations to inspire the next generation of innovators in remote and rural areas.

Running in parallel, the two programmes provided the college with an opportunity to showcase Unisa’s programmes in science, engineering and computing, positioning the university as a destination of choice for learners pursuing post-school education.

The Unisa CSET marketing and communication team was in full attendance alongside the college’s laboratory technicians, who conducted practical demonstrations of science and engineering concepts "in action" for learners, making abstract classroom concepts more tangible and exciting.

For many learners, this was their first opportunity to interact with laboratory equipment and observe experiments beyond textbook learning. Their curiosity and enthusiasm were evident, and numerous learners expressed how informative and inspiring the demonstrations were.

Historically, both events have attracted participation from thousands of learners from the provinces, and this year was no different with an approximate 5 000 learners who took part within the Harry Gwala District Science week engagements alone. "Harry Gwala District highly values the partnerships and relationships built with all participating organisations through this career festival, and we look forward to working together in the coming years as we continue to inspire hope, ambition, and excellence among our learners," said Loyiso Bavuma, Senior Education Specialist at the Department of Education.

Traditional in-person information-sharing and practical demonstrations that spark learner curiosity in STEMI fields remain critical to ensuring that prospective learners in remote and rural parts of the country are not left behind.

* By Lesego Maloka and Sibongile Masango, Administrative Assistants, College of Science, Engineering and Technology