EDWIN NAIDU
REACHING for the stars, the new CEO of Sci-Bono, Professor Mfanelo Pat Ntsobi, has great plans for Africa’s largest world-class science centre in Newton, Johannesburg. Ntsobi wants Sci-Bono to become the most visited and talked about science centre on the Continent, a learning hub that also becomes a research home.
Passionate about the sciences, Ntsobi wants Sci-Bono to build on its solid foundation by attracting learners beyond Gauteng, ensuring the institution’s sustainability, bringing on board more pro- grams and bolstering its service offerings by integrating ICTs.
He wants to expand on the plans for Sci- Bono, which supports maths, science and technology education and offers innovative and dynamic learning experiences.
As part of our vision and primary objective, Sci-Bono seeks to promote a society capable of competing in the global world of science and technology and equally equipped with the requisite skills, attitudes and values needed to improve the lives of all South Africans.
Ntsobi said Sci-Bono carried out this mandate in collaboration with schools as viable platforms and further supported learners and educators in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), thus ensuring mastery of these subjects as well as harnessing the capability for global competitiveness.
This also means being creative and looking at other skills, for instance, introducing elementary civil engineering skills training in partnership with the Department of Education.
“We are champions in digital literacy, as well as pedagogical integration of ICTs in teaching and learning, not just to improve learning outcomes, education outcomes, as well as learner attainment, so it is it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we use all available resources to reach these objectives,” he told Inside Education in an interview.
“This is where I see Sci-Bono moving to in the next few years. I am lucky because I found a powerful organisation. My predecessors, David Kramer and Dr More Chakane, have laid a solid foundation. So for me, it’s about improving the institution’s sustainability, building on the work of my predecessors, both of whom I hold in high esteem,” Ntsobi added.
Seated in the boardroom adjoining his office, Ntsobi, who assumed the CEO role on 1 November 2022, said he was determined to ensure that Sci-Bono, continues to contribute to building South Africa’s science, engineering, and technology capacity.
When I joined, I got my cue and mandate from the board to strengthen specific areas in the science, technology, mathematics and engineering spaces,” he said.
The organisation, founded by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) and private sector representatives, has several core goals. These include building a competent society in the world of science; improving and strengthening financial viability and sustainability; improving organisational sustainability; enhancing operational efficiency and optimising agility of service delivery and building a solid research and development capacity.
As a policy analyst, management scientist and communication strategist, Ntsobi’s scholarship is characterised by his association with research organisations and his contribution to numerous publications, including book chapters, articles and presentations at conferences.
He is continually developing pedagogies for education and its integration with ICT and web-based strategies for optimum educational system functioning.
Ntsobi’s PhD, entitled “Pedagogical Integration of Technology as an enhancement to Teaching and Learning in Gauteng Public Schools”, is a manifestation of his interest in the use of digital applications and scientific approaches for the provision of pragmatic solutions.
This explains the passion he brings to his role at Sci-Bono.
But he is keen to ensure that the team he leads are given the tools they need as experts.
“These are professionals, scientists, the best educators assembled to broadcast these lessons, and we want these lessons to be shared with the rest of the schools, especially the quintile one to quintile three schools, but it’s not limited to Gauteng,” he adds.
“We should be able to provide this support to learners outside Gauteng. During COVID-19, learners from other provinces had access to our content platform, just like Gauteng. So we must get support not only from Gauteng but also from other provinces and national departments.”
“As champions in digital literacy, as well as ensuring pedagogical integration of ICTs in teaching and learning, not just to improve learning outcomes, but education outcomes as well as learner attainment, so it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we use all available resources to reach these objectives.
This is where I see Sci-Bono moving in the next few years,” said Ntsobi.
While the emphasis is on science, stimulating interest in the subject and, through the careers centre, encouraging learners to embark on careers in the matter, Ntsobi does not want Sci-Bono to sit on its laurels.
“We are also tapping into the manufacturing sector as there are learners across the value chain. We are negotiating with Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs) and industry players to groom learners on furniture manufacture.
Another program we will be looking at is interior design, so many other skills fall within our scope,” he said.
Science is not just about being in a laboratory. It is the simple skill that one can use in various ways.
“We are even thinking about food security, using artificial intelligence to make meaningful agricultural interventions and contributing positively to food security.
“We want to prepare learners to start thinking about solutions for complex challenges facing society. Now energy is one of our key challenges. Water is another. If you walk around, we have some of these exhibits relating to energy and water. But we want them to be current. We want cutting-edge solutions, ideally coming from learners,” he said.
Sci-Bono hosts competitions to tap into the potential of learners, paying for transportation of those from
outside the province – and the country – to ensure inclusivity.
Welcoming Prof Ntsobi to Sci-Bono, the chairperson of the board, Mr Witbooi, Ab- bey, acknowledged the impeccable role and contribution of former Chief Executive Officer Dr More Chakane.
“A special welcome to the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Prof Mfanelo P. Ntsobi. We are honoured to have you lead this institution; we welcome in advance the inestimable value, insights, and leadership fortitude you will be investing in the Company in the coming years.
“I look forward to us collectively continuing to break barriers in 2023 as well as attaining unprecedented heights of excellence and the apex of exponential growth.”
INSIDE EDUCATION
