Johannesburg - The Department of Education in the Free State has welcomed nine maths and science educators from the United States of America (US) on Saturday to conduct workshops during the winter holidays.
The educators are from Teachers Across Borders of Southern Africa (TABSA), a non-profit organisation made up of maths and science teachers who travel to South Africa to workshop educators on the subjects, especially in rural schools.
The organisation was founded in 2001 to assist teachers in their professional development. The project has impacted more than a million pupils in rural schools since its inception.
The group was in the province in 2018 for the same purpose, this will be their second trip back in the FS.
The five Maths and four Science educators will be conducting the workshops for educators teaching Grade seven, eight, and nine learners.
The workshops will be held at Tsoseletso and Kagisho Secondary Schools in Bloemfontein.
TABSA Founder and Director, Yunus Peer, said the 20th anniversary of the organisation in Southern Africa was dedicated to their friend and partner, the late Education MEC, Tate Makgoe.
The department said the TABSA 2023 workshop agenda has been set by teachers and curriculum advisors in the provincial education department.
“TABSA responds to the specific needs of teachers in STEM subjects. Lessons are designed to meet CAPS (National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement) requirements and use readily available materials from class sizes that exceed 40 learners,” it said.
Meanwhile, Oziel Selele Comprehensive Secondary School in Bothaville will also receive a donation of 20 laptops from TABSA to assist with their coding and robotics classes. “This is part of celebrating the Mandela Month spirit of giving,” the department said.
Education