Science Centre celebrates 34 years of educating

THE Unizulu Science Centre is celebrating 34 years of service to the Zululand community.

Despite a tough year because of the Covid-19 lockdown, the centre continues to count its achievements and delivers on its mandate of bringing science to the community.

They have pioneered a groundbreaking science video project aimed at matric students.

The videos were distributed with South32 educational booklets to 5 000 matric science pupils in the King Cetshwayo district.

‘This caught the attention of the SA Institute of Physics, whose additional funding from the Allan Gray Foundation saw the materials being distributed to a further 20 000 pupils all over the country.

‘From an initial series focusing on physics only, the centre is now busy making videos on chemistry, life science and Grade 10 science,’ said Unizulu Science Centre Director, Derek Fish.

As they prepare for the new year, the centre hopes the video project will make top-level science instruction available in every classroom, even where there is no internet access.

Years of development

The facility was first opened in an old laboratory at the University

of Zululand’s main campus in KwaDlangezwa on 6 November, 1986.

It was run by staff in their spare time and only accommodated about 3 000 pupils annually.

Since its move to the Zululand Chamber of Business Foundation

(ZCBF) in Richards Bay, it has grown exponentially and now occupies ten times its original floor space, receiving more than 30 000 pupils annually.

Reuben Nzimakwe has been on its staff for all of the 34 years, and Fish for almost 30 years.