SA TEACHERS GET A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE AT SASOL 5TH ANNUAL TECHNICAL TEACHERS CONFERENCE

South African teachers will this week get a glimpse of what the future holds for their learners at the Sasol 5th Annual Technical Teachers Conference, which kicks off today and is being held virtually.

Organised and hosted by the Sasol Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education and Adcorp Group Holdings, the theme for this year’s gathering is “Infusing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Technologies in the Teaching of Technical Subjects”.

The purpose of the two-day conference is to provide market intelligence on the future of technical skills and how best to prepare learners for opportunities in this arena. The conference comprises workshops and plenary presentations from leading local and international thinkers in 4IR and technical education, across various technologies such as coding & robotics, programming, and connected mobility, to name a few.

Among this year’s plenary speakers are young innovator Nhlanhla Mazibuko, founder of Mazibuko Motors and the developer of Africa’s first electric bakkie and Torsten Klavs, from Porsche Cars in Germany, who will be demonstrating how Germany has incorporated 4IR in its vocational education.

“Sasol commits to play a key role in leading the development of a blueprint for impactful technical teacher training,” said Charlotte Mokoena, Sasol Executive Vice President: Human Resources, and Stakeholder Relations. She added that corporates have a major role in partnering with government to advance the creation of technical-vocational skills in South Africa.

The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Makgabo Reginah Mhaule will deliver the keynote address.

“The DBE’s Action Plan to 2019: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2030 recognises ICT as an enabler for goals on strengthening teacher subject knowledge and pedagogical skills, providing access to ICT to learners, engaging in district support and monitoring and building parent and community participation in school governance. This conferences therefore a step forward in ensuring that our teachers get the required capacity insight to work under difficult circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic where a hybrid approach of teaching is needed,” said the Deputy Minister.

Since inception, the Foundation’s vision has been to contribute significantly to sustainable socio-economic growth in South Africa by focusing on skills development, primarily in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The aim has been to alleviate school bottlenecks, boost the vocational skills pool, and create tertiary educational opportunities in South Africa.

To date, the Sasol Foundation has invested in more than 6 000 learners and their teachers from five technical schools in Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, with the aim to convert schools into centres of technical excellence. This is with the intention to build a pipeline of artisans, technicians and technologists.