Mandisa Shiceka Excessive College, from Krugersdorp in Gauteng, took the honours after beating 9 fellow finalists to be topped the winners of the most recent version of the competitors. In second place was Mbilwi Secondary College from Venda (Limpopo), who took first prize final 12 months, whereas Adam’s School from Amanzimtoti (KwaZulu-Natal) rounded off the highest three.
Run in partnership with the State Data Expertise Company (SITA), Clear up for Tomorrow offers Grade 10 and 11 learners from underserved communities a singular alternative to study, and apply themselves as they resolve among the challenges of their communities by the sensible utility of Science, Expertise, Engineering and Maths (STEM). On this course of and as supposed by the competitors, the learners get the extent of publicity that exhibits them their areas of curiosity, whereas additionally gaining invaluable expertise and expertise that assist harness their path towards a profession within the STEM fields.
As the general winner, Mandisa Shiceka was awarded a R100 000 money prize, whereas second-placed, Mbilwi Secondary obtained R50 000, and Adam’s School bought R30 000 for third place. All of the money prizes will go in the direction of buying STEM tools for every faculty, in response to their numerous distinctive wants. Samsung positioned the cherry on prime by rewarding every learner from the highest three groups with a brand new Samsung Galaxy machine.
The taking part faculties establish issues inside their communities and use STEM to resolve them by conducting analysis and creating prototypes. Samsung additional enabled the faculties with sources and mentors to information them by the method.
To emerge victorious, the learners of Mandisa developed an automatic hydroponic construction that grows meals with out utilizing soil. They recognized meals safety as the principle problem as a result of their township, Kagiso, predominently a mining atmosphere, which impacts the standard of the soil, air and water (sources essential for rising wholesome meals). To mitigate this, their progressive system would use greenhouses in addition to rain water and boreholes as their supply of water. “We got here into the competitors with a robust perception that we might win as a result of we consider in our thought as an excellent answer – that’s the perspective that all the group carried till the top. We’d like to thank Samsung for the chance to enhance our neighborhood and study some useful expertise,” stated Makhosazana Mazibuko, group member and grade 10 learner.
Their educator, Nonki Motlogelwa, who additionally helped information them of their mission stated, “Once we entered, the joy of successful this competitors was excessive from all of the learners. Although they began feeling the stress as quickly because the work started, they at all times had religion in themselves and that pushed them by. We’re proud particularly as a result of we received at our first try. I’m so excited for the learners, they’ve proven a lot braveness, creativity and teamwork that I’m certain they’re on course. General, the expertise was superb and thought frightening.”
Talking on the ceremony, Deputy Minister Mhaule stated: “Properly carried out to Samsung for recognising a niche and strolling the discuss by working to fill it with this initiative. Their efforts and dedication to contributing in the direction of educating our youth are extremely commendable. It’s simpler to face by and criticise however with such a programme, Samsung is displaying that doing will at all times be higher than speaking. Each learner and faculty that participated within the Clear up for Tomorrow competitors is a winner, merely for getting up and doing one thing, to resolve issues of their neighborhood and likewise ability themselves and put together for the long run. This initiative is not only a contest; it’s a beacon of what social accountability ought to be.”
Clear up for Tomorrow is one in every of Samsung’s company social funding initiatives and an formidable effort to extend curiosity and proficiency in STEM, and assist the nation contribute to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Progressive pondering, artistic problem-solving, and teamwork type a part of what the competitors seeks to encourage among the many learners as they study vital expertise that would profit them of their future careers.
Lenhle Khoza, Supervisor for BBBEE & Transformation at Samsung highlighted the significance of corporates supporting the youth with such platforms that might be a catalyst for his or her futures and the nation’s future. “Since its launch in 2023, Clear up for Tomorrow has grown into an annual artistic pondering playground for underprivileged highschool learners. The youth is essential to Africa’s improvement potential and it’s our ambition as a enterprise to unfold the competitors to extra international locations on the continent for transformative methods to resolve societal points by STEM initiatives like these. Now greater than ever, we have to information younger learners on the worth of STEM expertise to resolve the best points impacting our communities. Samsung is a agency believer within the energy of training to drive constructive change and we stay dedicated to unlocking the potential of Africa’s plentiful useful resource, the youth,” stated Khoza.
