SKA SA
Invests in the
Northern Cape
SKA SA invests in the Northern Cape
The focused investment in social development in the region of the SKA SA site will ensure that neighbouring communities can fully benefit from the far-reaching astronomy project
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he Square Kilometre Array South Africa (SKA SA) project has invested heavily in the Northern Cape province, from upgrading knowledge centres to creating jobs and providing deserving students with much-needed academic funding. With its partners, SKA SA has contributed towards social and technological development in areas such as Carnarvon, Vosburg, Williston, Van Wyksvlei and Brandvlei. The contributions have been made around five focus areas: investing in the youth, supporting community upliftment programmes, developing small to medium enterprises (SMEs), nurturing learners’ talent; and ensuring that communication connectivity is not compromised. The focused investment in social development in the region of the SKA SA site will ensure that neighbouring communities can fully benefit from the far-reaching astronomy project, through better education and training, investment in small businesses, and increased job opportunities.
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Supporting community upliftment programmes
Investing in the youth • SKA SA sponsors five matric learners’ bursaries • • •
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to study science and engineering-related fields from 2016. The learners achieved matric exemptions in maths and science, a first for Carnarvon High School. SKA SA has awarded more than 40 student bursaries since 2011. SKA SA has supported more than 116 Masters students and 52 PhD students as well as funded six research chairs at South African universities. SKA SA bursaries have supported the training of seven young people, who are now completing their training at the Losberg site, 90 kilometres outside Carnarvon and will start work in industry once their training is completed. They will work as electricians, fitters and turners; and in instrumentation and control. SKA SA has employed four local young people from Carnarvon as interns after they have received training in optical fibre technology. So far, SKA SA has spent more than R2.5 million on laptops, training and connectivity, with 366 new computers with state-of-the-art software being donated to schools and the library in Carnarvon.
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to Carnarvon as they painted 20 refuse bins with winning colours from an annual art competition for the community. The winners of the latest competition has been announced, through which primary school learners, high school learners and non-learners or adults had to submit a 30-word essay on what more SKA SA can do to uplift the community. The prizes included laptops for first prize winners and cash vouchers for second and third prize winners. 17 teachers from Carnarvon High School graduated in 2016 after completing the Information Communication Technology for Rural Education (ICT4RED) tablet integrated training, which was provided through a partnership with SKA SA, the CSIR Meraka Institute and the Department of Science and Technology. SKA SA has created more than 1000 jobs through infrastructure upgrades and construction on and around the SKA SA site.
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Developing small to medium enterprises
Nurturing learners’ talent • SKA SA has used its Schools Programme to help
(SMEs)
• Local business has also been given a boost
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as SKA SA has partnered with Absa to fund 40 local contractors. These businesses are subcontractors to NMC Civils, the construction company contracted to build the road between Carnarvon and the Losberg site. This was preceded by training provided by SKA SA and NMC Civils to 10 local business owners on submitting tenders for the 80 kilometre road upgrade between Carnarvon and the SKA site. In November 2014 SKA SA helped to establish the Kareeberg and Karoohoogland Contractors’ Forum.
10 local business owners received training on submitting tenders for the 80 kilometre road upgrade between Carnarvon and the SKA site
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to recruit qualified maths and science teachers, construct and equip a Cyberlab and science laboratories, provide role modelling and career guidance, and fund field trips and exchange programmes. SKA SA partnered with Teach SA to appoint Itumeleng Molefi to teach mathematics and science at Carnarvon High School. Molefi will be attending the 2016 High School Teacher Programme at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. SKA SA has supported the hosting of a Career Day/Science Exhibition, to which a number of universities and science exhibitors were invited at Carnarvon High School. This was followed by an Internal Science Expo where some of the learners at the school exhibited their projects following the scientific method. This was in preparation for the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, in which some of the learners will participate. As part of Science Tube, also known as the Science Without Borders Festival, SKA SA partnered with the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) for an outreach component with the community from Carnarvon. SKA SA optical fibre trainee interns hailing from Carnarvon and surrounds, MacCalvin Kariseb, Lourence Malan, Samantha Pieterse and Austin Julius, were roped in to talk to learners and young
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people about study and career opportunities within SKA SA. A week-long Science Spaza was held at Carnarvon Primary School during which the youth, astronomers and hip-hop music enthusiasts got together to advance scientific engagement and development in the community. The learners were engaged on science education and focused on science related challenges affecting communities. The week culminated in a “Music of the Stars” talent show for the community. Learners were required to form pop-groups and perform sciencethemed songs. The songs were recorded live and will be made available for widespread engagement around the SKA SA telescopes. Part of the outreach was an engagement with learners from the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre in the UK via Skype link-up from Carnarvon, which was filmed by the Children’s BBC Newsround team. The team was on a visit to South Africa to film in various locations, and visited Carnarvon, the SKA SA Losberg site and surrounds for footage for four inserts aimed at explaining the SKA SA project to its audience of six to 12-year old children. One of the world’s foremost scientists, synonymous with making science fun and entertaining for kids, Dr Graham Walker, visited the SKA SA site in the Northern Cape as part of his Science Circus Africa tour. This was coupled by visits to Carnarvon, Sutherland and Williston, where he staged interactive and entertaining science shows for school children in the towns.
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Ensuring communication connectivity is not compromised • SKA SA has connected more than 300 homes with broadband through a partnership with Vox Telecom.
One of the world’s foremost scientists, synonymous with making science fun and entertaining for kids, Dr Graham Walker, visited the SKA SA site in the Northern Cape as part of his Science Circus Africa tour. Contact us: SKA SA, 3rd Floor, The Park, Park Road, Pinelands, Cape Town, 7405 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506-7300
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Austin Julius, gepraat met leerders oor werks- en studiegeleenthede binne SKA SA. ‘n Weeklange Hip-Hop Science Spaza is onlangs by Carnarvon Laerskool gehou waartydens die jeug, astronome en hip-hop musiekentoesiaste bymekaar gebring is om oor wetenskaplike ontwikkeling in die gemeenskap te praat. Die leerders het onderrig in wetenskap en die ontwikkeling daarvan in die gemeenskap ontvang. Die week is afgesluit met ‘n “Musiek van die Sterre”-musiekvertoning vir die gemeenskap. Leerders is gevra om ‘n popliedjie te skryf en op te voer met wetenskap as tema. Die liedjies vorm deel van ‘n video-opname wat gebruik sal word vir grootskaalse kennisverspreiding oor die SKA SA teleskope. Deel van dié uitreik-aksie was ‘n Skype video-oproep met leerders in die Jodrell Bank Ontdekkingssentrum in die Verenigde Koninkryk, wat deur ‘n span van die Children’s BBC Newsround netwerk verfilm is. Die span was op besoek aan Suid-Afrika om in verskeie areas insluitend die SKA SA Losberg-perseel en Carnarvon te verfilm vir vier insette wat die SKA SA projek aan kinders tussen ses en 12 jaar oud sal verduidelik. Een van die wêreld se mees vooraanstaande wetenskaplikes, Dr Graham Walker, wat daarmee vereenselwig word dat hy wetenskap pret en vermaaklik aanbied vir kinders, het die SKA SA Losberg-perseel besoek as deel van sy Science Circus Afrika-toer. Dit het saamgeval met besoeke aan Carnarvon, Sutherland en Williston, waar hy interaktiewe en vermaaklike vertonings aangebied het vir skoolkinders in dié dorpe.
Die behoud van konnektiwiteit •
SKA SA het met Vox Telecom ‘n vennootskap gesluit om meer as 300 huise te konnekteer deur ‘n breëband satelliet-verbinding. Danksy vinnige internet verbindings sal inwoners in die Karoo voortaan oproepe kan maak en breëbanddatadienste gebruik via satellietdienste.
Een van die wêreld se mees vooraanstaande wetenskaplikes, Dr Graham Walker, wat daarmee vereenselwig word dat hy wetenskap pret en vermaaklik aanbied vir kinders, het die SKA SA Losberg-perseel besoek as deel van sy Science Circus Afrika-toer
Kontak ons: SKA SA, 3de Vloer, The Park, Parkstraat, Pinelands, Kaapstad, 7405 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506-7300
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Die ontwikkeling van en bystand vir klein en medium ondernemings •
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Plaaslike besighede het ook ‘n inspuiting gekry deurdat die SKA SA ‘n vennootskap met Absa gesluit het om finansiële bystand aan 40 kontrakteurs te verleen. Die kontrakteurs is subkontrakteurs aan NMC Civils, die konstruksiemaatskappy wat die 80 kilometer lange pad tussen Carnarvon en die Losbergperseel bou. Dit is voorafgegaan deur opleiding vir sowat 10 plaaslike besigheidseienaars oor hoe om tenders in te dien vir die subkontraktering vir die opgradering van dié pad. In November 2014 het die SKA SA gehelp om die Kareeberg en Karoohoogland Kontrakteursforum te stig.
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SKA SA het sy skoleprogram goed aangewend. Daardeur is wetenskap en wiskunde onderwysers aangestel by plaaslike skole, ‘n Cyberlab en wetenskaplaboratorium is opgerig en toegerus, jongmense is bygestaan met loopbaanadvies; en velduitstappies en uitruilprogramme is gereël. SKA SA het deur middel van ‘n vennootskap met Teach SA ‘n onderwyser, Itumeleng Molefi, aangestel om wetenskap en wiskunde te onderrig by Carnarvon Hoërskool. Molefi woon vanjaar die High School Teacher program by, by CERN in Genéva, Switserland. SKA SA was die gasheer van ‘n Loopbaandag en Wetenskap Uitstalling by Carnarvon Hoërskool, waartydens verskeie universiteite en wetenskapuitstallers genooi is om hul programme, kennis en inisiatiewe aan leerders te vertoon. Dit is opgevolg deur ‘n Wetenskapekspo waar van die leerders genooi is om hulle wetenskap-projekte te vertoon. Dit was ter voorbereiding vir die Eskom Ekspo vir Jong Wetenskaplikes, waaraan van die leerders sal deelneem. As deel van die jaarlikse Science Tube-uitstalling het jong SKA SA optiesevesel tegnologie werknemers van Carnarvon en omliggende gebiede, Samantha Pieterse, MacCalvin Kariseb, Lourence Malan en
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Belegging in die jeug SKA SA ondersteun vyf studente wat vrystellings in wiskunde en wetenskap in die 2015 Nasionale Senior Sertifikaat eksamen behaal het. Hulle studeer tans in wetenskap- en ingenieursrigtings by tersiêre instellings. Sedert 2011 het SKA SA reeds meer as 40 studente gehelp met beurse vir vakleerlingskappe. SKA SA het reeds meer as 116 Meestersgraad studente, 52 doktorsgraad studente en ses navorsingsleerstoele by Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite befonds. Deur middel van SKA SA beurse het sewe jong mense van Carnarvon en die omliggende gebiede studeer in vakleerlingskappe in elektrisiën-werk, pas-en-draaiwerk; en instrumentasie en beheer. Hulle voltooi tans hul praktiese opleiding by die Losberg-perseel. SKA SA het vier jong mense van Carnarvon aangestel as werknemers nadat hulle ‘n vakleerlingskap in optiesevesel tegnologie voltooi het. Sover het die organisasie reeds R2.5 miljoen belê in die verskaffing van skootrekenaars, opleiding en konnektiwiteit, en 366 rekenaars met die jongste sagteware aan skole en die biblioteek in Carnarvon geskenk.
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Ondersteuning van gemeenskaps-opbouprogramme SKA SA het gehelp om Carnarvon meer kleurvol te maak deur ‘n jaarlikse kunskompetisie vir die gemeenskap waartydens 20 vullisblikke in die dorp in helder kleure geverf is. Die wenners van die jongste kompetisie is onlangs aangewys, waarvoor laerskool en hoërskool leerders, en nie-leerders of volwassenes, ‘n 30-woord opstel kon skryf oor wat die SKA SA nóg kan doen om die gemeenskap te verbeter. Die pryse het skootrekenaars en kontantkoopbewyse ingesluit. 17 onderwysers van Carnarvon Hoërskool het in 2016 gegradueer nadat hulle die Information Communication Technology for Rural Education (ICT4RED) tablet-opleiding voltooi het. Die opleiding is moontlik gemaak deur ‘n vennootskap tussen SKA SA, die Wetenskaplike en Nywerheids Navorsingsraad (WNNR) en die Departement van Wetenskap en Tegnologie. SKA SA het reeds meer as 1000 werksgeleenthede geskep deur die opgradering van infrastruktuur en konstruksiewerk in en rondom die Losberg-perseel.
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Die fokus op belegging in die sosiale verbetering in die streke rondom die SKA SA perseel sal verseker dat buurgemeenskappe werklik baat kan vind by dié verreikende astronomie projek
SKA SA belê in die Noord-Kaap
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ie Square Kilometre Array Suid-Afrika (SKA SA) projek belê groot in die Noord-Kaap, vanaf die opgradering van inligtingsentrums tot werkskepping en om belowende studente van broodnodige beurse vir studies te voorsien. Saam met sy vennote het die SKA SA bygedra tot sosiale en tegnologiese ontwikkeling in gebiede soos Carnarvon, Vosburg, Van Wyksvlei, Williston en Brandvlei. Die bydraes spreek tot vyf fokus areas: belegging in die jeug, ondersteuning van gemeenskaps-opbouprogramme, die ontwikkeling van en bystand vir klein en medium ondernemings, die identifisering en koestering van leerders se talent; en die behoud van konnektiwiteit. Die fokus op belegging in die sosiale verbetering in die streke rondom die SKA SA perseel sal verseker dat buurgemeenskappe werklik baat kan vind by dié verreikende astronomie projek deur beter opvoeding en opleiding, belegging in klein besighede; en meer werksgeleenthede.
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SKA SA
belĂŞ in die
Noord- kaap