FOCUS
Education and skills training are making an impact Impala Rustenburg’s local economic development strategy boosts employment potential. the region of Impala Rustenburg’s operations. To support this thrust, Implats’ comprehensive education and skills development programmes span the entire education value chain, from early childhood development through to higher levels of schooling and continuous skills development. In promoting quality schooling, Impala Rustenburg supports 33 schools – 21 primary and 12 high schools – in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality. To mitigate the impact of months of schooling missed due Covid-19 lockdowns, the operation provided academic support to more than 2 000 matric learners, who received catchup classes in maths, biology, life sciences and geography ahead of their final exams. Impala Rustenburg also implemented a teacher-mentoring programme, supporting 12 teachers in eight local schools to improve their teaching sk ills. I mpala Rustenburg monitors the learners’ performance, which c o n t i n u e s t o b e e n c o u r a g i n g. D u r i n g 2020, the Impala-supported schools in the Rustenburg region achieved an average matric pass rate of 85%, compared to 79% achieved at other local schools. Platinum Village and Sunrise View secondary schools, both constructed by Implats together with its social partners, achieved 100% and 94% pass rates, respectively. Impala Rustenburg also delivered several infrastructure projects this year in support of education. These include constructing a new early childhood development centre, Phase 2 renovations of the Kutlwanong School for the Deaf, renovating and equipping three libraries in the Eastern Cape, which is a labour-sending area for the operation, and constructing 12 new National School Nutrition Programme kitchens in Taung and Ganyesa. ■
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mpala Rustenburg is committed to delivering a lasting positive contribution to local communities and those affected by its activities. Its local economic development (LED) strategy focuses on collaborating with government, the Royal Bafokeng and other mining companies to identify and implement h i g h e m p l o y m e n t g e n e r a t i n g p ro j e c t s through public-private partnerships. Since 2018, Impala Rustenburg and the Royal Bafokeng Nation (RBN) have collaborated in developing a strategy and project plan to identify projects that will support job creation and create sustainable livelihoods beyond mining. This strategic initiative actively pursues par tnerships with key players in sectors that have the highest potential of creating employment opportunities for youth living in
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NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2021/22
