3 min
News
The Girls in STEM workshops nurture the talents of young learners in science and math, inspiring them toward transformative innovation. The workshops offer a supportive community for girls to connect with peers and women in STEM who mentor and guide them in their journeys.
“I was told by my primary school teachers that I would be a teacher. It planted something in me,” says Nonjabulo Mavundla, a high school English teacher from the Free State. Understanding the influence that she has in learners’ lives, Nonjabulo asserts that, “What you say to learners, it stays with them. It’s important to be positive and make them feel good about themselves”.
For the last 12-years, Nonjabulo has developed her own strategies to improve language skills amongst her learners. Her passion for English came from a desire to share the basics of English with more children from rural schools.
Through the Motsepe Foundation, she has also learned a thing or two about science and coding through the annual Girls in STEM workshops.
“When I was told about girls in STEM, I didn’t want to do it. It was too science related and it was difficult,” she says. Despite this initial frustration, Nonjabulo became the leader of the team of learners who were participating at her school. During the 2022 Girls in STEM workshop in Johannesburg, her team was awarded the 2022 innovation prize, along with a science kit valued at R7 000.
“When I was done, I realised it wasn’t difficult, I just needed time. At first, we used the guide that was shared, and it becomes easier with workshops.”
“Ï think the workshops are very valuable to learners because it teaches them that there are more careers out there. It exposes them to a variety of things that they can look into and by participating, they get to choose wisely when they get to grade 10,” she says.
For many learners, a lack of career guidance can limit their options. It is predicted that automation, artificial intelligence, and other technologies will replace some of the jobs we have now. This poses a significant risk to learners who pursue these career paths without other options.
“If my teachers had motivated us, the way I am motivating them, maybe I wouldn’t have been a teacher. There were many opportunities we weren’t exposed to. But I don’t regret being a teacher,” she adds.
For Nonjabulo, what she enjoys most about teaching is learning about each student and understanding their unique differences. “I love having active learners who ask questions. We have different pupils every year and we have to do things differently every year. I am always challenged.”
After attending her second Girls in STEM workshop, Nonjabulo found that she had a better grasp at the coding and science materials. While the workshops are aimed at learners, to inspire their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Nonjabulo is also upskilling herself and finding new ways to incorporate technology into her work.
Our work is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and aims to build pathways towards peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
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