The Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina, will deliver the keynote address at the second annual Regional Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Education Seminar in Johannesburg on Friday, 14 February 2025.
This groundbreaking event, hosted by the Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) at Nelson Mandela University, in collaboration with Market Place Academy, Sifiso EdTech (an entity of the Sifiso Learning Group), and key industry sponsors Deloitte and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), aims to reshape the future of STEM education in South Africa’s public schools.
The Seminar urgently addresses the need to improve STEAM education in South Africa by equipping educators with cutting-edge strategies to drive improved learner outcomes. It seeks to provide practical strategies and digital tools to enhance lesson delivery, student engagement, and professional development.
The Deputy Minister has welcomed this initiative as a significant step towards the government’s intentions to work with businesses to improve education in the country. She emphasised that the private sector can play a vital role in this effort, particularly in providing resources, expertise, and real-world applications for STEM education, underlining the importance of collaboration in this crucial mission.
“We need to create a strong, interconnected value chain that connects STEM education, skills development, and innovation with industry needs so that it would be easier to plug these skills into the economy,” said the Deputy Minister.
Following the success of its inaugural event in the Eastern Cape in 2024, the seminar will welcome over 220 in-service educators from public schools in Gauteng. The speakers, who bring a wealth of experience and expertise, include Mr Sizwe Nxasana, founder of Future Nation Schools, Ms Retang Mphothoma, a civil engineering technologist, and Jean Greyling, an associate Professor in computing science at NMU.
