Chemical company hands over school laboratory

A chemical company officially handed over a science laboratory to Phomolong Secondary School on September 13.

NCP Chlorchem Pty Ltd human resource director, Thandi Mzila, said the chemical company officially opened the science lab on the school’s premises.

“The previous principal submitted a request in 2015 for assistance with school furniture and a science lab.

“We were already committed to other Community Social Investment(CSI) programmes in 2016.

“In December last year we came to the school and made assessments. We brought in Lab managers, procurement team and projects people to establish what was needed for the construction of the science laboratory.

“We wanted the project to be authentic and sustainable. There was space already available in vacant classes. We therefore renovated the whole block and put in some of the laboratory equipment.

“Today the objective is to hand over the science lab but the relationship will not stop here today.

This is going to be a continuous process because on two Fridays of each month we will bring in our lab technicians to come and experiment with the learners.

“We want children to ‘live’ science by giving them an opportunity to experience what a chemical reaction looks like in reality and not just in theory.

“NCP Chlorchem will provide the required chemicals and the expertise of lab technicians.

The technicians are the NCP Chlorchem employees so through this project we will be encouraging them as well to do volunteer work using their expertise in giving back to the community,” said Mzila.

She said the project will expose learners to various careers in the science field.

“Who said we can not have a nuclear physicist or an astronaut from the township schools?

“The objective is to impact communities around us. When we bring our technicians we will invite other neighbouring schools to join in the lab experiments to ensure that not only a select few benefit from the programme,” said Mzila.

She said NCP Chlorchem’s CSI programmes were innitially focusing on things like feeding schemes but when a proposal for a science lab came in, the chemical manufacturing company grabbed the opportunity.

“Our employment entry level requires maths and science. By running such a programme we are building a pool of potential employees for NCP Chlorchem.

“This is not the only educational contribution we are making. We are also sponsoring a Tembisan dedicated learner who attained seven distinctions in Grade 12. We are sponsoring the leaner’s BSc Chemical Engineering degree.” added Mzila

The school’s head of department for maths and science, Thanyani Sidzhuvhe, said the gesture would indeed develop the community.

“The best soccer player needs a proper soccer field in order to excel so, in order to produce quality scientists, engineers and technologists, we need a proper laboratory,” said Sidzhuvhe.

Thandi said the process of equipping the science lab will continue until the facility becomes a fully resourced laboratory.