Newcastle High School has recently opened up it’s new Epoch-Optima Trust: Siyavula Maths & Science Laboratory. This was a brainchild of principal, Mr M Govender, who since his
inception in 2008, applied for funding for the Mathematics Challenge Programme (MCP) hosted by Tshikululu Trust. The trust granted additional funds for the purchase of 36 new
computers so that this programme could be fully functional and available to all maths and science learners.
The school has been a part of the Siyavula Practice Service, which is an online programme in which mathematics learners from grade 8 to grade 12 and Physical Science learners from
grade 10 to grade 12 can practice an endless number of examples on each mathematical or physical science topic, and get real time solutions.
It serves as both a practice and assessment tool because each learners activity is recorded and linked to their teachers, who can view each learners individual progress at any time.
The Siyavula Practice Service will help learners and teachers to identify each learner’s weaknesses and strengths in Mathematics and Physical Science. It is a multi-platform service,
that can be used on phones, tablets and computers. It requires an internet connection, however on a Vodacom network it is a free service and does not consume any data (strictly
Vodacom), meaning that learners can also work on this programme at home!