NPC SEA WORLD EDUCATION CENTRE
A division of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research
School Tours
Courses, Lessons, Guidings
Special Courses
Educator Activities
Conservation Action
Outreach to Disadvantaged Communities
The NPC Sea World Education Centre is fortunate to have received
sponsorship for a greatly subsidised education programme for
disadvantaged schools from a number of sources including the
National Lotteries Board, Natal Portland Cement (NPC) and the
Ethekwini Municipality.
The Outreach Co-ordinator and educator put together an annual plan for this funding that includes schools visiting Sea World at uShaka Marine World and taking Sea World and some of its animals to schools in the outlying areas of the Ethekwini Metro. A custom built trailer with murals showing the different marine ecosystems is hitched up behind a bakkie to negotiate the dirt roads. This includes temperature controlled tanks for live animals and their necessary support system.
A choice of lessons have been developed to address the requirements of the Natural Science curriculum. A set of criteria were developed to identify which schools would benefit from the sponsorship and focused on schools in communities that have not visited Sea World nor had Sea World staff visit their school. The decision was taken to deal with every Grade 7 learner at each school (the last year in most primary schools).
The Outreach Co-ordinator and educator put together an annual plan for this funding that includes schools visiting Sea World at uShaka Marine World and taking Sea World and some of its animals to schools in the outlying areas of the Ethekwini Metro. A custom built trailer with murals showing the different marine ecosystems is hitched up behind a bakkie to negotiate the dirt roads. This includes temperature controlled tanks for live animals and their necessary support system.
A choice of lessons have been developed to address the requirements of the Natural Science curriculum. A set of criteria were developed to identify which schools would benefit from the sponsorship and focused on schools in communities that have not visited Sea World nor had Sea World staff visit their school. The decision was taken to deal with every Grade 7 learner at each school (the last year in most primary schools).
A division of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR)
The Lotto funding is being used to transport learners to Sea World, give them a lesson and take them on an escorted tour of Sea World, followed later in the school year with another lesson at the school. Each learner visiting Sea World is expected to contribute R10 towards the activities. Since April 2006, over 10 000 learners have visited Sea World as a result of the funding from the National Lotteries Board.
The NPC and eThekwini funding has been used to visit other disadvantaged schools to give lessons. Since March 2006, over 12 000 learners have participated in marine lessons.
As part of the Outreach Programme, teachers´ workshops are conducted during term at Sea World and in communities that the Outreach team is giving lessons in.
These are aimed at assisting teachers to gain knowledge and lesson ideas for the new curriculum and to be able to undertake the lessons given at schools by the Sea World staff.
