​​​​Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector of Stellenbosch University (SU) recently attended a class in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science alongside Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students who specialise in the school subject Natural Science.

The class was presented by by Dr Nazeem Edwards (Faculty of Education) and Dr Rehana Malgas-Enus (Faculty of Science) as part of the Stellenbosch University Chemistry Outreach Initiative (SUNCOI).

One of the goals of this outreach programme is to train teachers with regards to chemistry practicals (Teaching the Teacher the Nuts and Bolts of Chemistry).

"We collaborate with the Faculty of Education so that we can train our current students-teachers, before they graduate, to equip them with the resources and the skills required when they go out to teach," said Dr Malgas-Enus.

On this specific day, the students had the opportunity to perform four experiments included in the curriculum for Grade 7-9 themselves.

They made play dough to use as modelling clay to represent molecules and illustrate atom connectivity. They also made "elephant toothpaste" to illustrate the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen, using a catalyst (yeast).

"This was to demonstrate what a catalyst does (speeds up a reaction) and also to show a decomposition reaction in action," Dr Malgas-Enus explained.

The students created a density tower using different coloured sugar solutions with different amounts of sugar to demonstrate the principle of density. Lastly they performed an acid-base reaction using Milk of Magnesia, hydrogen chloride and universal indicator.

SUNCOI has developed a kit that include all the necessary equipment to perform ten experiments. These can be used by teachers who don't have access to laboratory space and equipment.

"Don't lose hope when you get to school and there is nothing," dr Malgas-Enus told the students.

PGCE student Jaco Erasmus said it was great to be able to perform the experiments and to "see how things work". He found the exercise very useful.

According to Dr Nazeem Edwards, PGCE students derive several benefits from collaboration with SUNCOI: They are exposed to the implemented CAPS curriculum, they gain practical experience and they should be in a better position to identify possible issues and challenges.