ORT South Africa welcomes you to our website, a gateway to the work we do. ORT SA is a non-profit developmental organization that believes in its philosophy of “Educating for Life”. We are locally and internationally recognized by governments and large corporations.

Every year ORT SA helps to build South Africa through education. This means that each year tens - of - thousands of South Africans benefit by learning skills and being placed in jobs, growing or starting up a successful business or receiving cutting edge training and support in the areas of Maths, Science, Technology and ICT.

It is important to note that, for ORT SA, education is more than basic schooling. It’s about empowerment and support. Only then can poverty be eradicated and meaningful lives be built.

ORT SA views education as:
• A lifelong process
• A fundamental right
• A vital tool

Time and time again ORT SA focuses on support, skills and networking, which flows into ORT SA’s focus areas, namely:

• Educator Empowerment
• Skills Development
• Enterprise Development

CURRENT PROJECTS

ORT SA GIVES A HELPING HAND IN MATHS TRANSFORMATION IN GAUTENG

The Gauteng Primary Literacy Math Strategy (GPLMS) is an initiative of the MEC, Gauteng for Education and is targeting under-performing schools and providing them with resources and training. The maths component of the strategy has been rolled out this year and ORT SA, a leading educational NGO which has been involved in maths, science and technology training in Alexandra, Ivory Park, Inner City) as well as Soweto for the past 18 years, has now been asked to step in and take on maths training in 120 more schools.

ORT SA warmly adopted the GPLMS as it enhances ORT’s international mission of ‘ educating for life’. ORT SA has been pro-active since 1994 in the areas of maths, science and technology and was first to introduce the exceptional Singapore Maths system into Gauteng schools.

In order to facilitate the 120 schools allocated to them, ORT SA has recruited 17 outstanding- calibre maths experts to coach, mentor and support the teachers in those areas. So far, feedback has been very positive and they are extremely busy familiarizing themselves at the schools at the beginning of the new term.

Areillah Rosenberg, Head of the Educator Empowerment Department at ORT SA says, “We are hoping to see the improvements in the ANA (annual assessment) results and the change in teacher’s and pupil’s attitudes to maths. We are delighted to continue working with the GDE especially on this promising initiative and to be part of transformation in education in Gauteng.”

Group of 17 Facilitators employed for the GPLMS training

ALEXANDRA PUPILS GET BEST MATHS TUITION AS TEACHERS SCORE BIG ON MATHS DIPLOMAS

ORT SA, 76 years old in South Africa is the oldest Training and Education NGO in the country. As part of a world-wide NGO network which has Consultative Partnership Status with UNESCO, ORT works with governments all over the world, including South Africa.

One of ORT South Africa’s many projects is a joint Maths Educator Empowerment project with Bidvest that is training teachers from six primary schools in Alexandra, Johannesburg. ORT SA’s facilitator, Julius Olobudon says he has almost reached his goal by assisting all 19 teachers to pass the first two models of the Advanced Certificate in Education from UNISA’s Centre for Training and Development. The studies were funded jointly by all three entities and at the end of the second year will enable the teachers to teach Maths up to Grade 9.

“The commitment from the teachers was amazing” said Olobudon. “We met on weekends and public holidays, we worked together day and night in order to accomplish this amazing feat. In fact, there were more teachers who wanted to join and we could not accommodate them. Their enthusiasm is truly inspiring. ” But some teachers commented that it was their teacher’s commitment that kept them going.

“Some of the teachers had never taught mathematics before and had to get to grips with the basics first. ”Olobudon added, “ We had to raise extra funds for more transport and more catering than we had budgeted for as we met so many times but the end result was worth it. My ultimate goal is for each educator to finish at UNISA with a distinction. Then I will be truly satisfied.”

Julius Olobudon teaching the class of winning teachers

Bidvest Science Project in Alexandra 2012

ORT SA, an Education and Training NGO, partnered with BIDVEST, to implement the much sought- after Natural Sciences Workshop for Grade 4 to 7 for Alexandra primary school teachers. Currently 30 teachers, from 9 schools in Alexandra, are taking part in this project which aims to equip teachers with practical work skills, develop subject knowledge of teachers, and enable them to develop their own resources to teach Science, as well as improve their teaching methodologies.

Although only 30 teachers were targeted for the project, more than 40 showed interest. The sessions held so far have been received extremely well. About half of the science teachers in this project are not specialists in Natural Science. The training is based on the Primary Science Programme materials, which was developed by the PSP in the Western Cape, and covers all the topics in the curriculum in a visual and interactive ways. ORT SA and the Gauteng Department of Education are looking forward to working together during this academic year, to raise the standard of Natural Science education in Alexandra.

ORT SA has also conducted benchmarking of pupils performance in Science and is currently processing the information to examine the levels of pupils’ science knowledge.

Ariellah Rosenberg Head of the Educator Empowerment Department at ORT SA says: ‘It is uplifting to see the enthusiasm of teachers and their eagerness to be empowered in such an important subject. I have no doubt, that the practical approach of these workshops, and the provision of resources, will improve the teaching and learning of Natural Science in Alexandra Township Primary schools.

Teachers hard at work

REACHING BEYOND SOUTH AFRICAN BORDERS

ORT SA, part of World ORT is a household name as a leader in educational upliftment through its philosophy, “Educating for Life”. Not only is this Jewish-rooted NGO (non-profit organisation) helping South Africans across the spectrum but has recently also trained refugees from other

African countries in computer skills to assist them in finding a job or to start their own business.

“We gave them basic PC and Microsoft training followed by further training called HP GET IT which allows them to translate what they have learned into basic business tools which they will come across when in the working environment, “said Adrienne Vester, Head of Skills Training at ORT SA .“We were approached by the Disabled Refugees Project (DRP), also an NGO, asking us if we can assist them in running some computer skills training for some of their beneficiaries. As our focus is education we were more than happy to assist them. “

In January this year 10 people trained at the ORT offices in Johannesburg. The founder of the DRP project, Sefu Godel wrote in a letter of thanks, “It is our belief that the knowledge our members acquired will assist them in boosting their self esteem and to be self reliant. We are grateful of your support this far and we are looking forward to working with you in future to in a bid to uplift the lives of people living with disabilities.”

Each year through all ORT SA’s training programmes, thousands of South Africans benefit by learning new skills, finding jobs and growing or starting successful businesses by receiving cutting edge training and support in a variety of areas. ORT SA relies on the funding of outside sources to continue its project.

Learners from the Refugees project