CPUT’s Department of Marine Studies (DMS) had its inaugural service-learning project at Weston High School in Vredenburg recently.
Thirty three marine engineering students overseen by three academics participated in this project, where each student was allocated three grade 10 learners, whom they helped with trigonometry.
Masungulo Maluleke described the experience as an absolute privilege, “Giving back to the community is such a wonderful thing. I felt honoured to be part of this trip in which we undertook to help learners from a disadvantaged area and to create awareness of the programmes offered by the Department of Maritime Studies.”
Marine engineering cadet, Siyabonga Sokulu, believes that a community outreach like this should be “constructive and helpful. Good skills are taught while a child is still young and that is why we as marine engineering cadets want to assist the Grade 10 learners. Mathematics is an extremely crucial subject required for university entry these days.”
Marche Titus, a learner who benefitted from the project, enjoyed the experience, “The DMS students were very good at explaining the work. Just imagine if they could keep on helping us with all the other work that we do not understand. It would be great if they could help us more,” she adds.
The project’s goals were, among others, to
- teach 80 Grade 10 leaners who have mathematics as a subject;
- promote programmes offered by the DMS;
- give a broad overview of the maritime industry; and
- ensure that seeds for the next generation of South African seafarers are planted.
