SPEECH BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL HEAD OF TRANSPORT DR KWAZI MBANJWA DURING THE HANDING OVER OF FIVE COMPUTERS TO QALAKAHLE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

Master of Ceremonies
The Chairperson of the Governing Body, Mr Mzobe
The School Principal and Staff of Qalakahle
Director Oloo from the Department of Transport
Students
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you for inviting me to address the educators and students of Qalakahle I understand that Qalakahle was established during the early seventies to cater for the educational needs of the children of Ozwathini. As time went on something had to be done to improve matric results and by the year 2001 the pass rate improved from 24% to 49% and a 70% pass rate is expected by the end of this year. This is commendable and a school like this does need some incentives and encouragement to perform even better.

I am also impressed to know that the school is beginning to introduce technology subjects including computer literacy in its curriculum. As the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport our responsibility is to develop people, the economy and infrastructure. We develop people, and that includes even students particularly in those areas that relate to science and technology. Technology plays a very important role in development today and it is only by changing people’s attitudes to it that any society or nation can be able to face the manifold demands of the information age.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, for instance has a Technology Transfer Center (known as the T Square Center) whose responsibility is to deal with matters concerning the transfer of Technology. Through this Center the KZN Department of Transport is involved in identifying possible technical and engineering professionals. There is a technical training staff who support the following maths and science learner programmes:

• Pro-technical Std 8 to Matric technical subject enhancement programme

• Technical Subject enhancement programme for learners and teachers

• Annual Bridge-building competition which is monitored and adjudicated through the expertise of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers (SAICE)

• Workshops and seminars in which students, and community road safety councils are work shopped on practical research skills that will benefit their respective communities.

The last point emphasizes the KZN Department of Transport’s commitment to saving lives by changing learner attitudes towards Road Safety issues in their communities. Through Participatory Education Techniques, students have been able to develop team work and participatory learning. They have been able to apply a range of technological solutions to their communities and in this way increased public understanding of science, engineering and technology.

Centre also provides support and mentoring to all undergraduate and post-graduate Engineering and Technical Learnerships in terms of guidelines supplied by the Engineering Council of South Africa. It further arranges twinning and exchange programmes with two other technology transfer centers in the USA. Most importantly, it provides assistance and technical advice to the public of KwaZulu-Natal and the SADC Region by means of the help desk. In this way the KZN Transport Department is not just doing something for teachers, students and parents but is also working together with all of them by being actively involved in education with them and through them.

With these few words I would like to announce to everybody here today that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport would like to present this school with a donation of five computers. I appeal to all staff members, students, parents and the entire community to take care of these computers. This is an investment because we want to see more science, technology and engineering professionals originating from this school.

I thank you.

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