Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, today, launched the unique educational institution, the Surprise Shondlane Upside Down School, in Waterkloof in Rustenburg, North-West Province. The school is the first of its kind in the world and is fully equipped with modern technology. The upside-down concept is designed to give the South African learner a practical example of thinking outside the box in their daily lives, and that there is an upright solution for every upside-down problem. It is also home to a wealth of activities that teach independent thinking and all-around curiosity, focusing on Engineering, Sciences and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

This unusual school exists courtesy of the Ten Flags Theme Park. The Surprise Shondlane Upside Down School is the only functional upside-down school in SA and the world. The functionality is achieved whilst all equipment is literally upside down. These include projectors, stoves, fridges, microwaves, water urns for boiling water and air-conditioners, to name but a few. Ten Flags Theme Park CEO, Mr Thapelo Tshephe, explained that, “Ten Flags operates as an Educational Theme Park with the sole purpose of supporting the growth of young people through curriculum-inclined activities. The schools also cater to extracurricular activities that promote physical and mental health. Ten Flags intends to build one new park every year for the next 10 years with over 10 activities per park. The Theme Park also introduces learners to critical life skills such as independent thinking, thinking out of the box, and the virtue of hard work”.

At the heart of this initiative is introducing learners to STEM or STEAMI, such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Innovation related fields. The National Development Plan (NDP’s) vision for education and training is to ensure that children benefit from a high-quality education, especially regarding Languages, Mathematics and Science to ensure that 90% of learners pass these subjects with at least 50% by 2030. It is estimated that by 2025, as many as 80% of all future jobs will require a STEM education. However, research proves that women are underrepresented in STEM. Bringing more young women into STEM-related studies and careers is essential in addressing this challenge. Ms Monica Luwes, Manager of the Graduate Centre at Sasol Corporate Bursary Services, says one challenge South Africa still faces is that many girls drop out of secondary education with a lower proportion of those who complete high school earning low pass grades in Mathematics and Science compared to boys.

“According to Stats SA, youth unemployment in South Africa is at 66.5%. More depressing are the numbers of young people, 37% to be precise, between the ages of 15 to 24 who are Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET).  Schools and initiatives like these driven by Ten Flags Theme Park assist the government in turbocharging efforts to lift our young people from the poverty of the mind and dearth of skills,” concluded Minister Motshekga.