Growing our education system with Maropeng

August 10, 2011 – Laura Maggs

In these stressful and difficult times, an outing to Maropeng means a pleasant escape from the classroom and a chance to tackle subjects from a fresh angle. Whether it’s a trip to the Sterkfontein Caves or an interactive learning experience at the Maropeng Exhibition, learners are sure to leave feeling rejuvenated and re-engaged with their schoolwork.

Encouraging learners to appreciate the value of pursuing knowledge and broadening their perspective is vital when so many people are denied the opportunity.

South Africa’s education system is under pressure. There are a host of challenges that stand in the way of its development, ranging from a lack of funds, skills and resources to illiteracy and corruption.

Teachers are a rare commodity these days, and the teaching of important subjects such as mathematics and science is under scrutiny. Learning is becoming more and more difficult for a large portion of our youth, who are forced to put supporting their loved ones before furthering their own education.

Helping learners to engage with what is being taught in the classroom can be difficult, especially when computers are replacing books and there is already an overload of information to struggle through owing to intensified media exposure and rapidly growing technology.

To counteract these issues, the learning process needs to appeal to young people on different levels, and teachers need to adapt and find new ways of giving lessons in meaningful ways.

In the face of all the criticism it receives, the education system in our country needs to be promoted and supported by those who have already been lucky enough to benefit from it.

Teaching shouldn’t be confined to a classroom when there are so many inspirational learning experiences to be found throughout our beautiful and historically rich country.

Maropeng offers teachers a variety of unique learning environments and materials with which to supplement their curriculum. In partnership with the Gauteng and national departments of education, Maropeng has also developed a series of informative educational resource packs aimed at grade 10, 11 and 12 learners.

Each resource pack focuses on a different subject, using interesting themed examples and activities to aid a pleasant and interesting learning experience. Even subjects typically perceived as boring or complicated can be tackled away from the blackboard and old, dusty textbooks.

The mathematical literacy pack, for example, begins by asking learners to “construct a timeline to scale” using the development of hominids over millions of years, from Sahelanthropus tchadensis (the earliest hominid discovered) to Homo sapiens. By using material from the fun and interactive Maropeng exhibition to explore and diversify various subjects, learning can become an exciting and enriching adventure, rather than just a mandatory task.

Says Maropeng’s education and marketing executive, Magel van de Venter, “It is necessary for every child to experience the scientific evidence and the information that we host at Maropeng.”

The educational resource packs are available for download on the Maropeng website.

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