Sasol donated laboratory equipment to Hoërskool Oosterland
Sasol donated laboratory equipment to Hoërskool Oosterland during a small ceremony on Monday, December 7 at the school as part of the company’s strategic intent to support the education fraternity.
During the welcoming speech the HOD Science, Hoërskool Oosterland, Mauriza Pheiffer jokingly said that every expo in the country will task the learners to invent something that will work for the Covid masks as well as spectacles to keep them from fogging up.
She explained how the list of requirements grew from a few items to a large number as they obtained more advice from various role-players.
Liné de Vries, Public Relations Officer, Hoërskool Oosterland delivered a safety moment. She is very passionate about the support that Hoërskool Oosterland gives to its learners. She spoke about creating a safe environment for learners at school. Physical Safety is not the only problem, but Psychological safety is also very important to the school, to create a safe environment where the learners can also talk to the teachers.
“Oosterland strives to be a “#Skool met Hart” said Liné, “That means that when you come into our school we want to have a Heart for You.”
All the short speeches were delivered from behind the “podium”.
Rethabile Ndjibu, Social Impact Manager, Sasol said that she felt very important standing behind the podium. “It reminds me of my days as a student,” she said.
Also read: Sasol Institutional Capacity Building Programme Graduation
‘I always think that teaching is a calling that not everybody can follow,” said Rethabile, “As I am standing here I would like to honour the teachers who make it possible for learners to become responsible contributors to our communities.”
She also praised the Learners that played Hosts and Hostesses to the event. “I am very impressed with them,” she said.
“Sasol believes that any responsible and caring corporate needs to focus on the education of our youth as leaders of our future and we believe in playing a role to ensure that they are prepared.”
“Our purpose as an organisation is to innovate for a better world,” continued Rethabile, “as we give these donations today we hope that the learners will excel and become those scientists of the future that will be able to find solutions for the types of situations that we find ourselves in currently.”
“Hopefully they will come up with several solutions to the problems that we currently face.” She said.
The donated items will enhance the teaching and learning of science subjects at the school. Learners will be able to conduct prescribed experiments that are essential for the conceptual knowledge of Science and contribute to their assessment marks. The following apparatus was donated to address the need of the school.
- Four trolley & rack sets
- Six Electric circuit boards
- Six Grade 12 organic chemistry (for use in creating Esters)
- Six Grade 12 Internal resistance
- Six Grade 11 Intermolecular forces
- Six Grade 10 Electrostatic
- 25 laboratory coats
- 25 Safety goggles
- Two digital balance
- Four light ray kits (optical kits)
Sasol has over the years supported education from Early Childhood Development (ECD) phase up to tertiary level. The company has provided schools in the fenceline communities with infrastructure support for ECD centres and schools to address the overcrowding of classrooms. Other initiatives include Grade 12 Revision Programmes to prepare learners for their final examinations, Grade 12 awards to acknowledge learners who have performed well, support to technical schools; supporting schools by donating science laboratory equipment, affording schools opportunities to access mobile science laboratories and Sasol Techno X Science Exhibition to showcase different careers that learners can pursue.
“Sasol in partnership with the Department of Education has been working to benefit communities around our operations and beyond, in terms of improving learners results and offering learnerships as well as bursaries to pursue their tertiary studies. However due to cost constraints the bursaries are suspended. We hope that the equipment we have given, will provide the opportunity for Science to come alive by making the theory a reality when the learners do the experiments in class.” Rethabile Ndjibu Manager Social Impact: Sasol Energy Operations.
King Masondo, Circuit Manager, Department of Education said that this donation would go a long way in translating what ever the learners learn in theory can be translated into practical knowledge.
“I remember that during my school days we had a laboratory but had no equipment so we just learned theory and no practical work,” King said, “I hope that the learners will benefit from this donation with practical knowledge.”
“Some schools rather store the equipment and do not use it, let us hope that this will be fully used and not stored.” A lot of schools are lacking the equipment needed.
Jerry Tladi, Subject advisor said that the equipment will help learners grasp the concepts better than just theory.
