14 April 2023: As part of a drive to develop future skills in 
schools, the Sasol Foundation and Sifiso EdTech have donated a Robotics Lab facility to support coding and robotics programmes for the school curriculum.
Based at the University of Zululand’s science campus in Richards Bay, the Robotics Lab will provide teacher training and practical learner support in coding and robotics.
The facility is one of the Sasol Foundation’s initiatives to create a pipeline of critical digital skills and empower educators in this field. It will serve schools around the University of Zululand.
The Foundation’s partner in this initiative is Sifiso EdTech, a company founded by Sizwe Nxasana and Dr Judy Dlamini that provides turn-key educational robotics solutions to schools.
Sasol on its own has been a prolific supporter of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) studies at schools at drives various programmes aimed at developing critical skills.
“In an era that is characterised by technology, artificial intelligence and automation, our interventions aim to create an environment for STEM teachers and learners to succeed.
Our education support in schools is geared towards building the knowledge and skills that will enable learners to excel in STEM subjects,” according to the Sasol Foundation.
“At Sifiso Learning Group, we believe it is our responsibility to support government in improving the quality of education in South Africa in order to make a tangible difference to our country’s sustainable economic and youth mass unemployment issues. Through our subsidiary Sifiso EdTech, we are working alongside various private sector partners and foundations, such as the Sasol Foundation, to rollout government’s coding and robotics curriculum to ensure that SA’s youths are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in today’s digital world,” adds Nxasana.
The Department of Basic Education has developed a coding and robotics curriculum for Grade R to Grade 9, and Sasol is providing support to the department in the pilot phase of this curriculum implementation by funding the training of the relevant subject advisors as well as the National Training Team in all provinces.
The pilot programme for the coding and robotics curriculum is currently being implemented in 200 primary schools for Grades R to Grade 3, and in 100 schools for Grade 7 across the country.
