NPO the Good Work Foundation is giving students from rural areas a fighting chance for their futures thanks to their commitment to coding and robotics for all:
South Africa (01 February 2024)— “It’s music to our ears that Coding and Robotics is being formally rolled out as a subject in government schools from 2024,” says Kate Groch, CEO of NPO the Good Work Foundation.
Sharing the sentiment that many other education non-profits and educators focused on bridging the digital gap have, Kate adds:
“The South African education system needs to keep pace with these next-generation subjects if we are to be competitive—and confident—participants in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
This dream to give more South Africans from underserved areas a fighting career chance in a digitally-dominant society is what the Good Work Foundation is working so hard to achieve. Through tech-savvy classrooms, the right educators and enough support, they believe it is possible.
But it’s not a dream that one NPO can achieve alone. For Kate, partnerships where the public and private sectors are involved, motivation is present, and teachers have helped make all the difference.
Getting the kids motivated is one very important part of any educational story. Luckily, given the “wonder-filled” nature of learning tech is known for, running the education non-profits in both rural Mpumalanga and the Free State doesn’t lack cool and creative learning experiences. These keep the kids inspired.
“For more than a decade, we have taught what has now become the Coding and Robotics curriculum to pupils at the 29 government schools to which we provide free supplementary lessons. Every day, our staff revel in seeing the eyes of 10—and 11—year—olds from remote villages light up with the thrill of discovery when they learn how to build a robot out of Lego—and then program it to move according to their command,” Kate shares.
Their teachings have also shown young people who may not feel confident in their Mathematics abilities that there’s an element for everyone in tech, especially in the careers you can leap into.
“Imagine if all video games were made solely by mathematicians? They’d be as boring as anything! You need the artists, performers and storytellers to work alongside the software engineers to bring these ideas to life,” she explains.
Another part of the Good Work Foundation’s mission is the donors who keep the momentum possible. From individuals to game lodges in the Kruger, Kate shares that there’s a lot of support for those who want to see the next generation come out on top.
The last and most important part of the mission is the educators.
Facing the facts, most teachers in South Africa are overworked and underpaid. And with the rollout of coding and robotics, schools face a fresh new challenge in making sure educators are equipped.
“We—and other non-profits—are here to help. Over a decade of working closely with government players and the private sector, we have realised that close cross-sector relationships result in the best possible education outcomes for marginalised learners.”
Kate shares that at least once a week, learners are transported to the Good Work Foundation’s campuses so that trained facilitators there can help them beyond the classroom.
“As a teacher, I can tell you that the best educational moment is witnessing when a child experiences that “aha” or a “eureka” sensation of getting something right. Such as when, through trial and error, they manage to code a robot and make it move.”
Even if students don’t pursue careers in STEM, they would’ve still gained critical skills and even a lifelong journey of wonder and discovery.
As Kate concludes:
“Such a love of learning, once ignited, never gets extinguished. It’s up to all of us to light that flame and keep it burning so that learning becomes a lifelong journey of wonder and discovery. These young people will end up using technology to solve the challenges in the rural villages and townships where they come from – so it’s incumbent on us to give them access to digital learning and make them comfortable with it.
But no one can do it alone. Only solid public-private-civil society partnerships will ensure that a young person living in Tshabalala village near Hazyview can, if he or she so desires, hop onto the web and code or collaborate online with others worldwide. We need to link arms across sectors to ensure that happens.”
Sources: Kate Groch; Website Submission
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 