Statement by André Gaum, Western Cape Education Minister

The Premier of the Western Cape, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, officially launched the new Cape Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) Academy in Constantia today (Monday, 10 March 2003).

The new academy, based in the former Constantia School for Boys, will accommodate gifted learners from all population groups, with a special focus on learners from disadvantaged communities.

In the past it was argued that there must be liberation before education. But, liberation has been achieved and the tide has turned. Times have changed.

Now, education will make our future liberation possible. In this province, we now say: Education first.

We advocate a new liberation struggle: The struggle to liberate our children of their fear for maths and science. The struggle to empower our children to excel in their endeavours to become real masters of these intricate fields. The struggle to direct education towards achieving a world class province. That is exactly what this new academy is all about.

The academy forms part of a broader plan by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to improve learner performance in these subjects across the board in the province.

On 18 February 2003, we launched our new Mathematics, Science and Technology Strategy, which is designed to improve average marks in all schools in the Western Cape, especially in our poorest schools.

The strategy includes a wide range of initiatives to achieve this objective over a six-year period.

These include the new Cape Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy for learners with special aptitudes for these subjects. We will spend the rest of 2003 preparing the ground for the first intake of learners in 2004.

We face considerable challenges in mathematics and science education in this province and the country. Research has shown that learners in South Africa generally do not have the skills they need in these subjects appropriate for their ages and grades.

We know what the problem is. We now need solutions. Our MST Strategy, and special interventions such as this academy, provide these solutions.

We know from experience that special interventions do work. These include, for example, the Centre of Science and Technology (COSAT) in Khayelitsha, which has shown that specialised schooling in mathematics, science and teaching can produce excellent results, despite the socio-economic background of the learners.

Other interventions, such as the Learning Schools, Dinaledi and Thintana projects, among others, have shown that you can also improve results in ordinary schools and struggling schools in poor areas, given the right approach.

The Cape MST Academy will provide high quality education to gifted learners in Grades 10, 11 and 12. While offering the standard Further Education and Training (FET) curriculum, it will specialise in teaching mathematics, natural sciences and technology on the higher grade.

The WCED will extend the curriculum to include economic sciences and subjects such as astronomy and space science. The academy will prepare learners for tertiary education in mathematics, science and technology.

The academy will also provide services to the broader community, by serving as a research centre; a specialist in-service teacher training centre; a centre for curriculum development; and an after-hours support centre.

The WCED chose the former Constantia Schools for Boys as a suitable site, because it offers:

• Sufficient classroom space for an initial intake of 200 learners;
• Workshops and other facilities that could be adapted to accommodate a further 550 learners;
• Available hostel accommodation for 60 boarders. Three more hostels are available that could accommodate a further 180 learners after renovation;
• Ample staff housing;
• Sports facilities, including a swimming pool; and
• An attractive learning and teaching environment.

The WCED’s project team has started partial renovation of the buildings. Thus far, contractors have upgraded or provided offices, the staff room, classrooms, science and biology laboratories, a computer centre, the school hall and hostel facilities. The project team will acquire further resources during the course of this year.

The WCED will appoint management staff shortly, and the rest of the staff during the last term of 2003. The staff will be the best available. We plan to enrol the first intake of 200 learners in 2004. We then plan to enrol a further 200 learners each year until we reach full capacity.

The new Cape Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy is a bold new venture in preparing young people of the Western Cape for the global knowledge economy of the 21st century. I have no doubt that it will succeed.