Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), in partnership with Sasol, yesterday opened a new specialisation school focused on addressing the critical skills needs.
The John Orr Engineering School of Specialisation, located in Milpark, Johannesburg, will focus on renewable energy and alternative sources of energy, according to the GDE.
The school’s launch also comes amid the rising demand to educate and upskill young people with future-relevant skills, including solar skills, amid the country’s energy crisis.
Initially a trade school, John Orr has now been gazetted as a school of specialisation with 813 learners enrolled and 63 staff members.
In a statement, the department says when learners leave the school of specialisation in engineering at the end of grade 12, they will be equipped with technical skills.
Furthermore, they will be engineers, ready to study further and go to companies like Sasol or start their own businesses.
“We are here to change the education system in our province. If we can’t prepare our learners for the skills that are needed in this economy, we would have betrayed them,” says Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
“Gone are the days where our education system is deemed inferior because we’re providing access to quality education through schools of specialisation. We thank our invaluable partnership with the contributing corporate and industry experts who made our vision a reality.”
According to the department, learners at the school have already manufactured a solar-powered car named “Voltage”.
It also reveals that 20 grade 11 learners had the opportunity for workplace exposure at the school’s partner companies, namely Umphakathi Development and Training, Industri Tools and Equipment, VNU Industrial Supplies, JTB Industrial Solutions and Ifihlile Training Academy.
Furthermore, 10 grade 11 learners underwent a programme with GDE and Autodesk on computer-aided design, to enhance skills in engineering graphics and design. The said learners will be certificated, and also exposed to an advanced programme, it notes.
John Orr forms part of the GDE’s specialisation schools initiative. The Gauteng education department has dedicated special attention to turning schools in the province into specialisation schools, in line with equipping learners with skills the market requires.
To date, the GDE has launched 18 specialisation schools across Gauteng, with a focus on maths, science and ICT; engineering; commerce and entrepreneurship; sports and performing and creative arts.
The department further states that it will continue to launch such schools to change the education landscape in Gauteng, which will subsequently benefit the country.
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