Gautrain funding partnership brings learners closer to science and technology

Through its funding partnership with the non-profit Technology Research and Activity Center (TRAC), Gautrain helps learners to develop a passion for science and technology.

“Instead of importing skills from overseas countries, we should rather grow skills from the bottom up,” said Gautrain Management Agency CEO, Jack van der Merwe at the TRAC partnership launch on 16 November 2009 at the Sci-Bono Science Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg.

CEO OF GAUTRAIN MANAGEMENT AGENCY, MR JACK VAN DER MERWE WITH STUDENTS AT THE GAUTRAIN TRAC LABORATORY

“We must be technology smart in South Africa. We need to encourage children to have a love for science and technology and to enter careers in these areas,” said Van der Merwe.

Gautrain’s funding partnership with TRAC demonstrates the project’s social investment commitment towards skills development, job creation and socio-economic growth.

TRAC SA facilitates a laboratory at Sci-Bono in Johannesburg and another laboratory at Sci-Enza in Pretoria. Schools that are under-resourced have the opportunity to take their learners to these well-equipped laboratories where they can carry out practical, experiential learning experiments.

LEARNERS AT THE GAUTRAIN TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND ACTIVITY CENTER (TRAC) AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND ROADS MEC BHEKI NKOSI AT THE SCI-BONO SCIENCE CENTRE IN NEWTOWN, JOHANNESBURG

TRAC SA was rewarded for their contribution in science, technology and innovation in urban and rural schools, when they received the NSTF Award by the South African Foundation for Science and Technology in 2008. In 2007, 124 000 learners and 2 831 teachers were trained by TRAC SA.  During 2008, 173 000 learners were exposed to hands-on experiences in TRAC laboratories all over South Africa.