We - and other education outreach organisations - are often asked the question: "Once you leave, what happens to the learners you have introduced to Science, Maths and Technology?" So we approached other organisations that share the same strengths, determinations and vulnerabilities to collectively address the challenge of sustaining interest "once we leave". This gave birth to Partners in Supporting Science, Maths and Technology (PSST!)
The Partners represent a variety of multi-skilled, dedicated organisations
with the same objectives, to:
Encourage learners
to pursue the MST learning areas throughout their schooling;
Support and encourage
educators in their poorly resourced environments;
Open the world of MST
careers to a new generation
Create an awareness
in the community about the value of MST in every day life
THE PARTNERS ARE:
Association
of Maths Educators of SA
Cape
Information Technology Initiative
Cape Peninsula
University of Technology
Eskom
Iziko Museums
of Cape Town
Kirstenbosch
Botanical Institute
Medical Research
Council
ORT-Tech
South African
Astronomical Observatory
Two
Oceans Aquarium
College of Cape
Town
The PSST! programme aligns and links with relevant curricula and other MST support initiatives already operating within the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Curriculum advisors from the various Educational Management and Development Centres (EMDCs) are PSST! committee members, fully involved in the planning and evaluation of the programme.
The programme runs on a year rotation. This gives most of the Partners a chance to engage with different groups of schools, identified by the EMDCs, as schools where MST support is most needed in that area. Each partner is allocated different time slots in the year, according to their calendar of events, in which they operate their programmes at the allocated schools.
The PSST! programme ensures that a definite impact is made in a community, through providing a year-long intervention at the targeted schools.
During the year, ongoing evaluation
takes place to assist:
The PSST! programme
in streamlining its aims 
Partners in adjusting
their programmes to the needs of the educators and learners
Educators in strengthening
their vulnerabilities
Learners in identifying
new future possibilities in MST
We FOCUS on CAREERS within MATHS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY and aid in the provision of TRAINING and/or EMPLOYMENT in these fields.
The KEYS to these CAREERS and JOBS is to study at either TECHNICAL COLLEGE or TERTIARY LEVEL.
