Youngsters with a talent for science

The annual Khanyagula science expo was once again a huge success. Khalipha Ramahlape, one of the main organisers, spoke to MRC News about it.

Nontlanga Mahlubandile and Mbongeni Nomkonwana (above) were this year's winning team at the Khanyagula Science Expo. They constructed a solar- powered fan from materials they found lying around in their township. Other projects included a convertible car, a volcano, a solar wind turbine and several chemistry experiments.

The Khanyagula science expo has gone from strength to strength over the past three years, with measurable results: several of the participants have gone on to study science at university level.

This is a real feather in the cap of Ms Khalipha Ramahlape, MRC community liaison officer. She was responsible for reviving the expo after she joined the MRC in 2002, helped by the Shuttleworth Foundation and the University of the Western Cape. The expo was founded in 1997 with funding from Telkom, but had to be discontinued after funding ran dry three years later.

Originally, the expo took place only in the townships of Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Guguletu and Langa - its unusual name is made up of the first two or three letters of these townships. It has since grown to include many more areas, such as Delft, Mfuleni, Mitchell's Plain, Philippi, Crossroads and Danoon. A total of 24 schools took part this year, and a total of 140 projects were entered.

Ms Khalipha Ramahlape of the MRC's Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Relations Directorate. The MRC co-sponsors the Khanyagula Science Expo with the Shuttleworth Foundation.

But Khanyagula is about more than just the day of the science exhibition. Work has been ongoing throughout the year to prepare the learners and teachers and give them the best possible chance to do well.

"We started by visiting schools to encourage them to take part in the expo. We also recruited post-graduate students from local universities to give teachers and students hands-on help with their projects.

"Later, we visited schools again to check how projects were progressing and assist where there was a need, especially in schools where educators were not very confident with the concept of science projects and the expo. We also introduced the post-graduate students to their respective schools."

This year, a new element was introduced into the expo: the participating schools were divided into five zones, each of which held a zonal expo before the main event in August. "The idea behind this was that learners would be judged on what they had done and receive feedback from the judges. This feedback would help them improve their projects for the main Khanyagula expo," said Ms Ramahlape.

On the day, the Guguletu community hall was packed with learners eager to strut their stuff. As Ms Ramahlape said: "It is always satisfying and fulfilling to see the pride with which learners present to the judges what they have been working on."

Projects ranged from solar-powered fans to remote-controlled cars and an environmentally friendly chemistry experiment.

"The event was a huge success. Not only has the number of entries increased, quality has also improved," said Ms Ramahlape.

The best projects either received bronze, silver or gold certificates, with a diamond prize for the best overall project and a special prize for the best poster of the expo.

All the projects that received silver and gold certificates have been invited to take place in the regional science expo at UCT this month. The learners who receive gold awards at that expo will be given the opportunity to take part in the national expo in Pretoria.

This is an aspect of the project that has been funded by the Shuttleworth foundation since 2002. "Their involvement in the project has been wonderful - not only did they provide financial support, but they would also roll up sleeves at the event and see how they could help. The partnership between the MRC and the Shuttleworth Foundation has been a match made in heaven," said Ms Ramahlape.

The foundation awarded two special prizes at the expo, one to the school that entered the most projects of a reasonably good standard and the other to the school that received the most awards at the competition. Each of these prizes was worth R5 000, of which R4 000 would go to the school to be spent on science and the R1 000 goes to the teacher who assisted the learners.

Unfortunately, in terms of the foundation's policy their funding of the Khanyagula Science Expo has to come to an end this year. However, they are helping the project to find a new funder: Ms Ramahlape and her team have been invited to participate in an "Innovation Bazaar" in which they "sell" their projects to new sponsors.

The Shuttleworth Foundation has also promised to fund a "road show" in which winners from previous years, including national finalists, will go to different schools and talk to other kids encouraging them to take part in the expo.

"As Khanyagula we will always value the support they have given to children from previously disadvantaged communities," said Ms Ramahlape.