PPC’s Mobile Science Lab initiative was developed to support budding scientists, providing them with the tools to develop their skills. The recent lab handovers form part of several initiatives planned to benefit schools countrywide. Through their rollout, PPC has already positively impacted over 10,000 learners, opening up new career paths for them to become South Africa’s next generation of engineers, scientists and technicians.
The lab is a self-sufficient portable structure on wheels and will be used to teach science to learners at the school going forward, enabling practical interactive demonstrations, as well as appropriate revision for exams.
“Providing access to quality, meaningful education remains one of our continent and country’s greatest challenges,” notes Kabira Akoob, Group CSI Manager at PPC.
A major development in the rollout of the PPC Mobile Science and IT Lab initiative has been the company’s collaboration with project partner Diebold Nixdorf. Jean Christophe Bouche, Diebold Nixdorf’s MD for East and Southern Africa, explains that the company is committed to contributing to youth development through this initiative:
Because sustainability is a key focus of the initiative, PPC has put various measures in place to ensure the most effective use of the labs. Educational company Brainwave will offer workshops and psychometric analysis to assist learners at the schools with their subject selection and provide them with career guidance going forward.
With measurable impact another critical aspect of the programme, PPC’s memorandum of understanding with the Department of Basic Education enables the company to monitor outputs of each and every lab. This speaks directly PPC’s short to medium-term plan of offering bursaries to deserving matriculants from participating schools who want to pursue PPC-related careers.
“As a legacy brand, celebrating 125 years in existence, PPC wants to leave an equally lasting legacy in communities across the country – one that demonstrates that there’s far more to us as a brand,” concludes Akoob.
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