Two high school learners from the Western Cape will spend their June school holidays on an extraordinary voyage along the South African coastline, on board the SA Agulhas II, joining a range of experts conducting research.
Aimee Stollie from Môrester Akademie, and Akhona Zondo from Simon’s Town High School are currently aboard the SA Agulhas II.
The ship in question is a South African icebreaking polar supply and research vessel, owned by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE). The learners will spend a total of 10 days on the voyage.
The applicants were required to provide a written motivation letter; demonstrating their understanding of the significance of marine science research conducted aboard vessels like the SA Agulhas II.
The opportunity was specifically offered to learners studying Marine Sciences as a subject. The Further Education and Training (FET) subject has been offered at schools from 2020.
The SEAmester programme is typically designed for postgraduate students. However, with the introduction of Marine Sciences in Grades 10 to 12, Professor Isabelle Ansorge from the University of Cape Town made two spaces available for high school learners.
Akhona said: “I feel very privileged to receive such an amazing opportunity, I don’t want these days to end. Having exposure to various aspects in the field, being on board a ship and having access to different lecturers in different fields instils me with hope that by the end of the SEAmester programme, I’ll definitely find my feet.”
In her application, Aimee said: “I would share this knowledge with others and help spread information by informing people about the environment. As someone who is interested in engineering and marine biology this is a dream come true.”
Dr. Mariëtte Wheeler, the FET curriculum planner for Marine Sciences, will be accompanying the learners on the research voyage. Dr. Wheeler, who was also recognised as a Top Ten teacher in the World Best School prize, is now employed in the department.
Completed by Jared Moorgas
First published by Cape Town etc
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