Wits University has established a R5.5 million Marang maths and science centre to improve the quality of teaching graduates in the country and to assist students that want to establish a career in IT.
The centre, situated at the Wits Education Campus in Parktown, was officially opened last week by Wits University vice-chancellor, Professor Loyiso Nongxa, and Standard Bank chairman Derek Cooper.
Standard Bank will contribute R4 million over the next three years to the centre and Wits University will spend R1.5 million on the centre.
The Marang centre focuses on research and development for teachers` mathematical and science education. It is aimed at improving mathematics and science education in the country and to increase the number of black students obtaining excellent results in the two subjects. The centre consists of IT facilities including a computer lab, science lab and a human resource centre.
"The centre is important since the country faces a huge maths and science education problem. We as academics have to use our expertise to tackle the problem to create quality learners. We are hoping that the centre will assist teachers to educate the learners using IT. It will also help students to choose IT as a future career," says Professor Mamokgethi Setati, director of the Marang centre.
"The school teachers will be trained in mathematical literacy, maths and science knowledge for teaching, language and maths and science teaching, and the effective methods for teaching maths and science," says Setati.
"We are also looking at teaching approaches that will recognise other South African languages as there is a strong relationship between language and teaching. The learners will also use their home languages to learn maths and science," she says.
"The funding will mainly be used to upgrade the computer lab and to do more research. We would also like to have more maths and science centres in the country and create new leadership in maths and science," says Setati.
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