The Eastern Cape Government has marked an important milestone in the province's education sector with the opening of a pioneering aviation school at 43 Aviation School in Port Alfred.
Prime Minister Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane and Education MEC Fandir Gade hosted the launch on Friday morning and celebrated what they described as a transformative initiative.
State spokesperson Kuselwa Ranjie said the aviation school was a milestone in the implementation of the three-stream model, which aims to diversify educational opportunities.
The Eastern Cape Aviation School aims to establish an aerospace science high school with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
He said the initiative, realized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) and the 43 aviation schools, included the introduction of aviation and maritime studies at Port Alfred High School (PAHS). Ta.
“This program reflects the State Government's commitment to curriculum diversity that provides learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies essential to South Africa's economic growth,” Mr Langier said.
The program will initially accept Year 10 students from various school districts in the Eastern Cape and will focus on developing future leaders in vocational fields such as aviation and engineering.
Prime Minister Mabuyane highlighted the international standards of the 43 Aviation School and its potential to integrate students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“This is large and should apply not only to our state but also to international schools. Out of the 180 schools here, this is the best school. We have all the facilities we need. is in a global space. We have a lot of children from the African diaspora at this school, and a lot of pilots from other African countries are also training here.
“This is a quintile school, which means that normal children from poorer families would never have had the opportunity to attend, given the annual school fees of approximately R1.4 million.
“The work we are doing is improving outcomes in the Eastern Cape, resulting in around 45,000 bachelor's passes and further gains in science and mathematics. , especially for children from rural areas, showing that they are ready for the challenges presented to them.
“We bring them here, we integrate them, we ensure that the school does not remain in the ivory tower, but is part of local development that is consistent with the interests of the state and inclusivity. We are not going to downgrade, but we will still maintain international standards,” Mabuyane said.
“We give out scholarships and encourage kids to pass math and physics.”
MEC Gade highlighted the province's strategic approach to addressing curriculum gaps, particularly the lack of aviation-focused education.
“Three years ago, we began negotiations to acquire or acquire a stake in 43 Air School. If this was not feasible, we developed a hybrid model. We supported 25 students and introduced a high school curriculum focused on aviation at Port Alfred High School,” Gade explained.
43 Aviation School President Ati Nieman emphasized the school's worldwide reputation.
“We train airline pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers and have students from over 50 nationalities. We are the training supplier of choice. Currently, we have 350 students,” Neiman said.
