PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY ULWAZI
Background
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is mandated to provide an enabling environment for innovation and research, which includes promoting public awareness and understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and building human capital. South African learners consistently rate poorly in international surveys of science and mathematics. They suffer from a system that cannot yet provide an adequate education and from perceptions that science is remote, intimidating and boring. There is a need to excite society about science, to demonstrate that STEM is an important foundation for an African renaissance, to improve science literacy, to boost the number of students participating in science, to enhance the performance of these learners and to demonstrate career opportunities in science-related fields. Internationally, science centres have been shown to present STEM as interesting and fun, demystifying science, encouraging personal engagement and contributing to a much-needed science culture, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Worldwide, there are now more than 1200 science centres, employing in excess of 100 000 people, attracting about 250 million visitors a year and injecting about R10 billion into the economy.
Approach
This traditional Zulu hut, located at the Olwazini Discovery Centre in Pietermaritzburg, is an exhibit that was developed with several purposes in mind: to demonstrate indigenous knowledge of materials technology and construction engineering, to indicate that science and engineering are not esoteric but are present and relevant in everyday situations, to involve craftsmen from the local community in constructing exhibits, and to be functional as a place for story-telling and theatre... all of which Ulwazi would consider as being important in planning and constructing an interactive experience.
DST conceived that its support for the development of a national network of science centres in South Africa would contribute significantly to addressing the above concerns and goals. It retained Ulwazi to conduct a feasibility study in four phases: to audit existing science centres in South Africa, to develop alternative models for the proposed network, to analyse these models and to recommend a preferred model. In Phase 1, Ulwazi provided a definition of a science centre, visited and surveyed the 20 centres that then existed in South Africa and analysed the results. For Phase 2, Ulwazi was able to visit more than 60 international organisations on five continents to secure information on how science centres are managed and supported, which provided an excellent picture of the latest issues and trends. Using this information, Ulwazi proposed that DST should consider two alternative network models, two types/sizes of science centre and two models for achieving sustainability. In Phase 3, Ulwazi and DST co-facilitated 10 provincial workshops aimed at securing inputs into the various models, which provided valuable input into the analysis. In Phase 4, Ulwazi made recommendations on the preferred model and provided targets, a time-frame, priorities, strategic plan, management model, membership criteria and a budget to assist with the development and ongoing operations of a network of stationary and mobile science centres.
From the information and recommendations provided by Ulwazi, DST has so far published norms and standards for the proposed network (2007), developed a roll-out plan (2006) and secured cabinet endorsement (2007).