Pretoria – In an attempt to ensure that more learners are successful in completing the tough requirements of engineering degrees, the John Orr Technical High School is to be turned into an Academy for Engineering and Technology.
Gauteng MEC for Education Barbara Creecy announced on Tuesday that a joint project has been initiated with Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, John Orr Technical High School and Sasol to transform the school into an Academy for Engineering and Technology.
Creecy said the aim of the project is to ensure that there is a steady stream of highly talented and competent entrants into the engineering faculties at the local universities.
“This will be done in collaboration with University of the Witwatersrand and University of Johannesburg, learners will be identified from across the province and accommodated at John Orr Tech, where they will receive a high quality education including complementary science-related extra and co-curricular programmes,” Crecy said.
She added that the department is confident the project will ensure more learners from this province enter universities and are successful in completing the tough requirements of engineering degrees and leave universities with the requisite skills for gainful employment.
An outstanding alumnus of John Orr Tech is Frank Ogilvie, a South African, who is an aeronautical engineer and was responsible for the external design of the Airbus A380. – BuaNews
