At the end of last year, Parkside Primary School (PPS) earned recognition at the Eastern Cape Gambling Board’s (ECGB) annual corporate investment awards for the school’s vast improvement in maths, science and technology.
In April last year, the school was given maths and science kits from ECGB for grades 3-7 that included geometry sets, abacus, scales, mathematical instrument sets, textbooks, test tubes, beakers and electrical circuit sets.
The school was one of more than five schools to receive the donation in BCMM however PPS has thus far shown the most commitment.
This donation was provided on condition that it be used to improve the pupils’ academic performance — a condition the school more than met as the pupils are now competing in maths, science and robotics competitions with the school earning first place in a regional robotics competition last year.
ECGB is impressed with the great strides PPS has made in the short span of time since being given the kits and awarded the school because the pupils were able to demonstrate, by using the maths, science and technology equipment, what was taught in class.
They can do practical experiments and solve mathematical problems using the resources which is the progress ECGB hoped to see the kits achieve at the schools who received them last year.
PPS principal Lizelle Abrahams said that in the brief period following the receipt of the kits, both pupils and teachers had become more enthusiastic about mathematics which marked a significant step towards growth.
Abrahams said: “This award is a great achievement for our school.
“Parkside Primary School is situated in the poorest ward in BCM, but we always knew when given the necessary resources and commitment from teachers and pupils, we could compete with any school.
“At the beginning of the 2023, the department of education’s slogan was ‘less talk, more action’ and as a result, Parkside Primary adopted this slogan and embarked on taking ownership and working towards improving pupils’ achievements.
“We have learned that it doesn’t matter where you come from.
“It doesn’t matter how poor you are, you can achieve anything if you have the support of the school, educators, community and the private sector, in this case the ECGB.
“Forming partnerships is very important for the progress of a school.”
The school hopes to build on their achievement and to develop partnerships to enable them to address infrastructural gaps in the development of STEM subjects including; limited science storeroom space, urgent upgrades to science classrooms and redeployment of maths and science teachers.
