New coding and robotics lab launched in Johannesburg to boost kids’ digital skills

Published Aug 12, 2022

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A NEW robotics and coding education centre called the Futureshaper Lab has been officially opened at the St Barnabas School of Specialisation in Mathematics, Science and ICT in Johannesburg.

The Futureshaper Lab is the brainchild of a partnership between the Gauteng Department of Education and Nasdaq-listed technology firm, Honeywell, to boost digital skills among Gauteng learners.

The lab is expected to benefit 200 high school learners per year at the school.

These learners will embark on a specialised education programme designed to boost their knowledge of, and proficiency in, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The Lab will help develop digital skills and ignite logical and critical thinking in learners. Both learners and educators opting to participate in the programme will learn more STEM and ICT focused skills in addition to their usual computer literacy education curriculum at the school.

The programme now includes outcome-focused courses on coding, programming and robotics, as well as “coding clubs” which are holiday training camps and ‘“hack-a-thons” to maximise learner interactivity and participation.

“As a technology company with a history in South Africa dating back more than 50 years, we are heavily invested in helping the country expand its pipeline of exciting, talented and ambitious engineers of the future across its STEM-related sectors,” said Denver Dreyer, Sub-Saharan Africa president, Honeywell.

“Honeywell is right at the forefront of industrial innovation, solving some of the region’s most pressing challenges – from sustainability to security to safety –through ready-now technologies.

“Honeywell is delighted to sponsor and equip the new Futureshaper Lab alongside our partner, GDE, to help provide young people with the skills they need to take these technologies forward in years to come, and make the world a smarter, safer and more sustainable place through innovation.”

The programme is part of a wider initiative by the GDE to develop Schools of Specialisations that address the mismatch between the skills with which learners exit the education system.

They also meet the current need for expanded learner opportunities within the system by giving learners access to a specialised, modern, relevant, dynamic, and responsive curriculum that is an alternative to the traditional academic curriculum.

Schools of Specialisation seek to nurture the development of top talent in Gauteng across various disciplines, producing the country’s future generation of economic and industrial entrepreneurs and leaders.

“Indeed, we are excited about this initiative, which will have a huge impact in improving skills in learners.

“We believe this Lab is a great addition to our efforts to generate learner interest in STEM subjects which will be beneficial to their career. Let us thank all our partners, including Honeywell, for heeding the call and investing in the education of our learners,” said Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi.

He added that learners should be trained throughout their early days because that was when they acquired the skills to uplift the economy. "My learners, I refuse to treat you like commoners.

“I refuse for you to be trained so that you can be unemployed. I refuse for you to be certified when you reach your matric to seek jobs," he said.

Lesufi said that learners should be trained so that jobs should come looking for them. "Each and every school under my leadership in this province will specialise in something so that they can be part of the economy.

“Gone are those days where we had to spend time praising a frog and singing about the frog while children in other parts of the world were taught how to build drones and fly drones," he said.

In 2019, St Barnabas College was launched as a School of Specialisation (SoS) in Mathematics, Sciences and ICT to offer a highly specialised curriculum and nurture the development of top talent in Gauteng across key technology-related disciplines.

A graduate of the SoS can look forward to multiple exit opportunities, including joining the labour market, entrepreneurship or furthering their studies.

EDUCATION