Gauteng’s Schools of Specialisation host their second annual festival
The MEC said that through these schools, the intention is to produce learners who have accumulated technical skills.
John Orr Engineering School of Specialisation held the second annual School of Specialisation (SoS) Festival on March 2.
Numerous SoS learners from the Gauteng Department of Education’s (GDE) 35 schools gathered at the school’s rugby field.
The learners showcased innovation and creativity in various fields including dancing, engineering, crafts, technology, sports and media.
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Gauteng Education and Youth Development MEC, Matome Chiloane said he was impressed by the skills and talent that was showcased by the learners.
“The purpose of the GDE SoS Festival is to bring all the Schools of Specialisation together to celebrate the knowledge and skills of our learners. Learners have been displaying their unique talents and innovations in each discipline,” he said.
He added that the aim was to attract industry partners who are willing to partner with Schools of Specialisation.
“Industry partners are encouraged to provide long-term support such as job shadowing, bursaries, industry experiences and post-career parting for our learners, ultimately these learners will feed back into the economy of South Africa,” he added.
Beyond what is taught in public schools, SoS allow students to specialise in subjects such as maths, science and ICT, engineering, commerce and entrepreneurship, sport and performing and creative arts.
The SOS Festival did not only bring the learners together to demonstrate their expertise through creative projects in their respective fields, but it also gave learners a platform to exchange ideas and concepts.
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The MEC said that through these schools, the intention is to produce learners who have accumulated technical skills.
This year’s exhibitions showcased how the stature of the SoS is growing.
Letsibogo Girls Maths, Science and ICT School of Specialisation focused on media and communication and displayed their radio station LG Radio as young learners broadcasted live from the event.
Other schools such as St Barnabas College and Moholi High displayed their work in the field of technology.
An electric car powered by two Lithium-ion Phosphate batteries with 48 volts each that drive a range of 70-80km at minimum speed 114km/h and a maximum speed of 342km/h was showcased by the international award-winning Soshanguve Automative School of Specialisation.
A generator that operates on water, unlike a conventional generator that operates on diesel, was displayed by Edward Phatudi Maths, Science & ICT School of Specialisation.
“This is what we want we want to achieve with the SoS programme.
“The SoS programme marks a great achievement for advancing education, more so in Gauteng, the economic hub of our country. Ever since being conceptualised, it has made great strides and has seen great improvements,” said Chiloane.
