UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND

SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (SDP)

DETAILED OVERVIEW

Location	Situation	Aims
Activities	Stakeholders	Recognition

Early History

The University of Zululand’s Physics Department applied to the University authorities for permission to open a Science Centre (“Exploratorium”) in the faculty of Science, at the end of 1982. Permission was granted and work begun early in 1983, with a donation from Old Mutual. The Centre was housed in an old laboratory on the top floor of the Zoology building. Prof. Johan van der Merwe of the Physics Department, with the assistance of other staff, ordered and built equipment for the Centre, which was opened on the 6th of November 1986. The Centre has been open continuously for the 20 years since then and was visited by about 3000 students annually whilst at the University. It comprised some 130 interactive exhibits.

At the end of 1991, Prof. B. Spoelstra, the head of the Physics Department, applied to the Foundation for Research Development for funding for a staff member for the Centre. This was granted, and from October 1992 to mid 1997, the Centre formed part of a Science Development Programme which is run by the Physics Department and sponsored by the Foundation for Research Development. Since late 1997, the Centre has been run by the University with inputs from various other donors. As well as hosting visitors to the Centre, the programme runs a number of outreach activities, many in cooperation with local (Richards Bay) industries.

In November 1995, the SDP was offered the use of a 1000 square metre building in Alton, Richards Bay. Funds were raised from local industries for necessary renovations which took place from July 1996 to February 1997. The Science Centre, with all its exhibits, was moved to the new facility, and opened on the 27th of February 1997. The new facility has allowed for expansions in the programme, visitors and staff, being visited by over 20 000 learners annually. There have been two expansions to this facility since then. In November 2004, a new 600 square metre building was opened funded by the DST. This provided 400 square metres of new exhibit space and a multi purpose classroom. In November 2006, a further extension comprising a 200-seater auditorium and TRAC-Lab was opened, with funding from BHP Billiton (building) and Murray and Roberts (TRAC-Lab). Present staff consists of a Director, a Schools’ Programme Manager, and Managers for Shows, Visits and Technical, in addition to various other facilitators.

Location

The SDP is aimed at secondary school Physical Science educators and learners in KwaZulu-Natal schools surrounding the University of Zululand. The focal area stretches roughly from the Tugela River in the South to Kosi Bay in the North, and inland as far as Nongoma. It includes roughly a quarter of KZN’s education regions which contain about 530 secondary schools. The vast majority of these schools (522) fell under the Department of Education and Culture (KwaZulu) with most of  the remainder belonging to the Natal Education Department (6). (And one school each for the House of Representatives and the House of Delegates). Education departments in KwaZulu-Natal were amalgamated in 1995, but historical inequalities in terms of facilities and educators have not changed.

Situation

Education in Northern KwaZulu-Natal generally is in a critical condition, and Science education is no exception, with under-qualified educators, little or no equipment and many schools not even electrified or supplied with water. The region has also received very little outside assistance in the past, being fairly distant from any large centre. The two educational regions covered have been identified in many surveys and studies as the most disadvantaged in the province (and amongst the most disadvantaged nationally!)

Aims

The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) confirmed that:

"Black education, in particular, suffered severe deficits in the areas of Science, Mathematics, Technology, Arts and Culture"

and that we shall have to:

"... take special measures to increase the supply and competence of Maths, Science and Art educators for schools."
(RDP document, sections 3.3.11.9 and 3.3.14.3)

The SDP seeks to address these critical problems on two fronts, by:

• Stimulating an interest in Science amongst secondary school learners.
• Assisting learners (especially matriculants) and educators with the Science syllabus and with examinations.

And thereby:

Channeling Science learners into technological careers.

Activities

The following activities/programmes take place:

* Science Centre: The Science Centre (Exploratorium) forms the base for all activities with more than 200 interactive experiments on display for visiting school-learners, in addition to a brand new, 200 seater, state-of-the-art auditorium. Under Apartheid Education, most of the learners in our contact area were denied access to scientific equipment, and gained at best a theoretical knowledge of the subject. The Science Centre seeks to provide a “hands-on” experience of Science for these learners. The Science Centre is visited by over 25000 learners each year.

* Planetarium: The SDP has KwaZulu-Natal’s only planetarium – a portable Starlab in which 30 learners can enjoy a perfectly accurate depiction of the night skies. Various programmes revolve around this, including sundials, telescopes and optics.

* Special Events and Science Camps: Regular special events and focus weeks are held each year to maximise media coverage and impact on the surrounding communities. Science camps allow learners (especially girls) a chance to spend a few days involved in scientific activities and to boost their confidence.

* Matric Workshops: Quarterly Workshops are held to demonstrate practical work to Matriculants. This practical work is examined, but rarely, if ever, performed. Workshops are repeated at 5 different locations (Empangeni, Nongoma, Ulundi, Piet Retief and Nqutu) in order to save on the learners’ traveling costs. Each Workshop is presented to over 10 000 matriculants.

* Educator Enrichment Courses: Many three-day and one-day courses are run for Science educators annually to consolidate and broaden their skills, in conjunction with the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CASME). These courses provide vital in-service training for educators in Science, Mathematics and Biology.

* Competitions : are run for learners, seeking to generate enthusiasm for the subject. These have included Bridge Building, Steam Cars, Wire Cars, Science Expo, Quizzes and an Essay Competition.

* School Visits : Schools in the focal area are visited by staff in conjunction with the local Science Advisor, to provide a stimulus for Science.

* Resource Centre : A resource centre of equipment, audiovisual aids and reading matter  has been set up in the new Richards Bay Centre  (run by CASME) to allow educators access to these vital teaching-aids. The Centre includes multimedia computers with Internet access, and a large collection of educational CDs and DVDs. Other satellite centres are being placed at various locations closer to schools in the rural areas.

* Science in Industry Educators’ Programme: Each year 40 Science educators are taken through the 6 of the largest Richards Bay industries during a week of their July Holidays. The purpose of the visit is to familiarise educators with the technology used by the industries, as applications of the school syllabus.

* Mobile exhibits: The Unizul Science Centre has pioneered the Australian “Science on the Move” programme in South Africa, setting up mobile exhibits in rural schools and taking shows and educator workshops out of the Centre. These mobile exhibits (which were developed in-house) have toured several schools. In 2007 this programme will be augmented by the addition of a Discovery Bus.

Stakeholders

All aspects of the programme are organized with local Science educators to ensure that the relevant needs are met. There is a high degree of cooperation with the local Department of Education offices (Regions 7 & 8 KwaZulu-Natal), especially with the Science Advisors. The National Department of Science and Technology has recognized the work of the Unizul Science Centre, and made some funding available for expansion. Networking with other groups is actively pursued to make the most of available resources. The University’s Physics Department, who initiated the project, also plays an active and supportive role. Local industries have been extremely supportive both financially and in using their expertise to assist us and to enrich educators, and new partners are being sought all the time.

Recognition

The SDP has been acclaimed locally, nationally and internationally, winning numerous awards in the field of Science Education. The Unizul Science Centre won the 2001 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) award for the most outstanding contribution to Science and Technology by a non-profit organisation. Derek Fish, the Centre Director, won t

he 1999 NSTF award for best individual contribution. Derek Fish has also won the S.A. Institute of Physics Silver Jubilee Medal for his work in the SDP, as well as being placed in the Katlego awards for NGO leadership. SDP staff have served on the Southern African Association of Science and Technology Centres (SAASTEC) council since it was formed and Derek Fish has been President for 2 years. Alfred Tsipa is currently President of SAASTEC. Derek Fish also sat on the International Programme Committee which coordinates Science Centre World Congresses, helping to organize the 2002 World Congress in Canberra, Australia. Derek Fish and Alfred Tsipa have repeatedly won Best Science Demonstration Competitions at Physics and Science Centre conferences in South Africa, as well as in the UK. The Science Centre also won 3 separate business awards at the end of 2004.

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