Education

Lab on wheels: 
Delivering biology pracs to schools

South Africa and many other African countries face a critical shortage of skills in science and technology. Encouraging youth towards the sciences begins in the classroom and what better way than through practical demonstration of science. For the vast majority of SA pupils however, laboratory infrastructure and expertise is simply lacking. In the university town of Grahamstown in South Africa, a dynamic team have taken a step forward by bringing a "lab on wheels" to the doorstep of disadvantaged schools.

The Rhodes University project was pioneered by former biology teacher Rhona Duncan. Along with associate Charlotte Woods, who herself has over 30 years science teaching experience, the pair have raised over R1 million for the development of a unique Mobile Biology Laboratory. The lab was developed to travel to high schools in Grahamstown daily and deliver a hands-on biology experience to Grade 12s. 

A Volkswagen kombi donated by VW has been kitted with all the necessary biology equipment for running practicals (as set out by the National syllabus) and serves as the vehicle for transporting the laboratory to schools within the Grahamstown area. Other sponsors include the DG MurrayTrust who sponsored the laboratory equipment and the Friends of Grahamstown and District Development who customized the vehicle. The Hermann Ohlthaver Trust and the RB Hagart Trust are covering running costs while the Loseby Trust covers an assistant's salary over the next three years.

According to Duncan, the practical demonstration of biology is crucial to the clear understanding of the theory. The team, including local Nombulelo High School matriculant Nomhle Ndubela, who has been trained as a laboratory assistant, will be working closely with teachers. At teacher's request, the biology bus will bring practical equipment to the school and run hands-on sessions with groups of learners. 

"In order to empower the teachers we will run through the practical with them before doing it with their class. They can then choose whether they would like to run the practical themselves (using us as demonstrators) or vice versa. In no way do we want to take over their role as teacher or pose a threat. It will, however, be imperative that the teacher be present and that they take an active role in each lesson," says Duncan.

The team see this as a pilot project that if successful could be expanded to take equipment and expertise into the more rural areas. In the long term, the mobile biology laboratory could serve as a model for a National Programme to upgrade the teaching of Biology in disadvantaged communities.

The mobile laboratory, launched in April is already fully booked until the end of June, and bookings from local schools continue to flow in. Each visit takes two hours and by the end of the second term, all high schools in Grahamstown will have been visited at least three times.

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