While South Africa’s youth unemployment rate stands at 45.5%, according to StatsSA, the country is also facing a skills shortage in many technical vocations.
The country needs more doctors, engineers and scientists, and encouraging young South Africans to pursue such careers means fostering a greater interest in the so-called STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) from an early age.
Thankfully the private sector is stepping in to fill the gaps that the government isn’t getting around to, and in the space of just one year, around 20,000 primary school learners now benefit from Maths and Science Labs thanks to a partnership between Ford SA, Maersk, Gift of the Givers and the Department of Basic Education.
Last week saw the 100th state-of-the-art Maths and Science Lab handed an under-resourced primary school in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.
This comes less than a year after the first lab was installed at a school in Mamelodi, and so far around 20,000 learners have benefited from the installations, according to Ford.
The Labs were funded by Ford SA and Ford Philanthropy, while Maersk donated 100 shipping containers, which were transformed into fully functioning labs by Gift of the Givers.
Primary schools in all nine provinces were identified to receive these labs, which could potentially benefit 250,000 learners over the coming decade.
“This is not only about education and learning, but it also brings hope to the learners, educators, parents and the broader community. It serves as inspiration, and recognises that each person matters, even in rural South Africa, and shows they are not forgotten,” said Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman.
“There’s an urgency and desire to learn, and we have witnessed the huge impact this project has already had on communities, and how grateful the people are for this support,” he added.
Ford SA president Neal Hill said the intention behind the project was to equip young South Africans with the tools and opportunities necessary to excel in a technology-driven world.
“This initiative is not just about facilities, it’s about unlocking potential and giving children the many skills they need to dream bigger,” Hill said.
IOL