Support project for pupils continues

THE Coega Development Corporation’s successful second-chance maths and science programme for Nelson Mandela Bay pupils determined to succeed at university level has been given another chance to continue its good work.

This comes after the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) announced a sponsorship of the programme for the next three years on Tuesday.

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) and CBE signed a memorandum of agreement for the significant funding and support for the programme at the CDC’s offices in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

The programme, for which the CDC provides facilities and supporting equipment on its premises, offers matriculants who have the potential but did not achieve their desired maths or science results a second chance to restudy the subjects and rewrite the exams.

“We are delighted that the CDC has given us an opportunity to be part of this programme,” CBE acting chief executive Priscilla Mdlalose said.

“We hope the programme will produce more engineers and builtenvironment professionals in South Africa.

“We are convinced this programme will assist in contributing positively to the skills set of South Africa, especially because maths and science are key to the economy of the country.”

The CBE investment will fund 75 maths and science pupils from Nelson Mandela Bay.

Also present at the signing were former programme participants, who spoke volumes about the benefits of their participation.

Since its inception in 2013, the programme has been fully funded by the CDC and has had a positive outcome for 322 pupils.

Last year, the 48-strong class of pupils on the programme achieved a 100% pass rate for physical science and 98% for mathematics.

The CDC said yesterday that there were still a number of vacancies available in the programme, for which applications close on Monday.