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02 December 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs
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Prof Koos Albertyn handing over a donation of eleven microscopes to Anzell Spelding, a teacher at Luckhoff Combined School.
With a donation of microscopes, the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently contributed to better quality education for a group of 60 learners in the Life Sciences class at the Luckhoff Combined School.

Anzell Spelding, a teacher at the school – with a newly built science laboratory but little equipment – contacted the department a while ago to enquire whether they have any microscopes available to donate. As the department recently acquired a new set of microscopes for undergraduate teaching in the field of Microbiology, ten fully functional microscopes and two other microscopes (for parts) were donated to motivate the learners to choose science as a career.

“This donation puts scientific instruments in the hands of children at an early age, opening their eyes to the possibility of careers in science. Exposing learners to science at an early age can spark enthusiasm and a love of learning that might otherwise never appear,” said Koos Albertyn, Professor in the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.

“These microscopes will enable learners to look at specimens at a microscopic level and therefore access the wonders of natural science at the tiniest and most fascinating level,” he added. 

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Thirteen Scholarships for Science and Mathematics learners awarded
2011-02-15

The Thirteen Scholarship winners are seen here with: Back: Mr Cobus van Breda (Project Manager, School for Continuing Education, far left), Prof. Jonathan Jansen (Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, Second from the right), Prof Dennis Francis (Dean of the Faculty of Education, on the right), Middle: Ms Elizna Prinsloo (School for Continuing Education, left) and Ms. Pearl Nhlane (SANRAL, right).
- Photo: Stephen Collet

Thirteen learners from the University of the Free State (UFS)’s School for Continuing Education (SCE) were successful in their applications for school scholarships at SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency). This represents more than a third of the successful applications countrywide.

The SCE’s ICT Laboratory aims to enable and encourage more learners to enter into science related studies and careers. To achieve this, 180 selected learners from Grade 10, 11 and 12 are exposed to activities at the ICT Laboratory every year. “It is an attempt not only to foster a positive attitude towards Mathematics and Science amongst learners, but also to raise their knowledge and skills levels through e-Education in Science and Mathematics,” says Mr Cobus van Breda, Project Manager of the programme.
 
As part of the programme, learners have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship at the sponsor, namely SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency). The scholarship not only covers all school and hostel fees for the particular year, but also includes stationary as well as school and sports outfits of the learner.
 
At a recent information session for successful learners and their parents held at the UFS, Ms Pearl Nhlane of SANRAL congratulated the learners and said that “SANRAL is recognising the hard work of the learners by investing in them”. Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, in turn thanked SANRAL for their initiative and told the learners “that one has to take the gap when one gets the opportunity”, indicating to the learners that the scholarship can be seen as such an opportunity, since it can possibly pave the way to study benefits in future.  

 

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