Deputy Minister to hand over science library to Piet Retief community

Deputy Minister to hand over science library to Piet Retief community

By BRIAN KAJENGO

The Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Advocate Michael Masutha, will hand over the Mondi Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Mostem) Library to the community of Piet Retief on Saturday 22 February.

 Piet Retief is in the Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga.

 Built on the grounds of the Mondi Science Center with a R560 000 contributions from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the library specializes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics information – benefiting learners and teachers from foundation to secondary level.

 The 122 m² Mostem Library complements the services offered at the Mondi Science Center, which include science career guidance and further education and training.

 At least 18 000 learners from around the Gert Sibande District Municipality visit the science center each year.  They can now also use the library to help with their studies.

 This is the Department’s campaign to promote mathematics and science education in the country and the Deputy Minister will address over 100 learners at the handover.

The main objective is to close the gap of scarce skills that are mainly occupied by foreign experts.

 Mpumalanga is the third province to be visited by the Deputy Minister since the beginning of the school term.  In January he visited schools and science centers in Limpopo and North West to promote the DST’s Youth into Science Strategy, which is intended to stimulate young people's interest in science, engineering and technology.

 The strategy is a DST initiative to support the Department of Basic Education, and includes complementing the teaching and learning of mathematics and science informally through a network of science centers.

This will take place at about 10am at Mondi Science in Piet Retief on Saturday 22 February 2014.